Although cheetahs and leopards belong to the same category of mammals, the two types can be ferocious when brought together. Thus, there is always a chance that the existing leopards of Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh will attack the Cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia.
In a recent incident of KNP, three leopards were trapped inside the enclosure, stretching for 500 hectares. The National Park team finally managed to get them out after 25-days of continuous struggle. As per the experts, these notorious leopards can be harmful to the new members of South Africa. Hence, the authorities have decided to introduce a newly constructed fence with electrifying features. Relocation of these leopards can reduce the threat to a large extent for future cheetahs.
Therefore, the authorities’ final decision is something unique and effective for both species of animals. They have decided to electrify only a few sections of the fence. Although such a light shock cannot harm or kill the animals, it can shake them for some moments. As a result, they will not make any subsequent attempts to come near the fence. After the arrival of the new cheetahs, if these leopards try to disturb them, such an electrifying technique will significantly help keep the animals away from each other.
Final Decision Of The KNP Authorities
The relocation of the three leopards is essential now for Kuno National Park. However, before that, it became vital to calm them down. So, to fulfill this objective, they brought two elephants. These animals belong to Satpura Tiger Reserve and succeeded in tranquilizing the three threats.
The first one calmed down very soon, and the authorities immediately relocated it on 26th August 2022. The elephants entered the premises of KNP on 14th August 2022. After that, on 27th August, the authorities also managed to remove the second leopard. One of the forest officers, Prakash Verma, stated that removing the third leopard from the enclosure could take some more time. Hence, for the time being, electrifying the fence is the best solution to prevent any conflict between the two giant cats.
-As per the plan of the authorities, 7 to 8 Watts will be the power of the fence. This power will reflect through the outer layer and prevent the leopards from coming near the enclosure. According to DFO, the primary motive behind energizing the fences is to train the leopards to maintain distance from the enclosure. The whole of India uses this technique to keep a distance from the elephants. Although the electric shock of the fence cannot kill the animals, it can give a temporary shock to animals.
No Threat To Cheetahs
Some people also became worried about the cheetahs when they learned about the electrifying idea. However, it should be kept in mind that leopards give very high jumps. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the top energized. But the cheetahs cannot jump so much, so they will not be threatened by this electrification of the fences.
As per the speculations, the 12 cheetahs from South Africa will first arrive at Jaipur or Gwalior. After that, they will be transported to Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh. India will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the South African government. But it is still at a preliminary stage and ensures that the process will be complete after inspection of the part by government officials and signature on the MoU. However, the tentative date will be next week. The primary official has refused to state any particular date in this respect.
