The Cheetahs of India
Cheetahs, the fastest animals on Earth, are back in India after decades, now roaming free in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park!
Animal lovers in India always talk about Cheetahs! They are the fastest animals on earth. The fastest human, Usain Bolt, can run at a top speed of around 44.7 km per hour. But a Cheetah can run up to 120 km per hour! That means a Cheetah is nearly 2.5 times faster than Usain Bolt.
In the olden days, Cheetahs were found in many parts of India. They were called ‘Asiatic Cheetahs’ or ‘Hunting Leopards’. These amazing animals were not only in India, but also in countries like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others nearby.
Cheetahs were very important to the Mughals. They used them for hunting. The Mughals had special hunters who would catch Cheetahs from the wild. These hunters were called ‘Cheetah-wala Pardhi’.
It is believed that Emperor Akbar had around 1000 Cheetahs. They were used to hunt animals like deer, blackbuck, gazelles, and more. But, because they were kept in captivity and not allowed to live freely in the wild, the natural life of Cheetahs was harmed. This led to the Cheetahs disappearing from India.
In 1947, the last 3 Cheetahs in India were killed by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh, marking the end of the Cheetah's presence in India for many years.
But in 2022, something special happened! Cheetahs were brought back to India. Now, you can see them in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park. It is a big step towards bringing back these wonderful animals to India, where they once roamed freely.
So, the Cheetah’s journey is an important part of India’s history, and now, they are returning to the wild once again!
