The Crossbill News Desk
A female cheetah and her four cubs were pelted with stones by villagers on Monday (March 24) while attempting to hunt a calf near Behardha village, sparking concerns among conservationists over the implementation of Project Cheetah.
The incident occurred around 9 AM when Jwala, one of the cheetahs introduced under the project, ventured near farmlands with her cubs in search of prey, the Press Trust of India reported.
Alarmed by the sight, several villagers gathered, creating a commotion to protect the calf. Some individuals resorted to throwing stones at the big cats, forcing them to retreat into the forest.
Forest department officials monitoring the cheetahs intervened to prevent further escalation. All five cheetahs were reportedly healthy and safe.
“Today, around 9 am, Jwala and her four cubs tried to hunt a cattle calf on the outskirts of Behardha village near farmlands. Seeing this, some villagers gathered and created a commotion to save the calf. One or two people also threw stones,” PTI quoted an official source.
Videos circulating on social media show villagers, armed with sticks, standing at a distance while a cheetah attempts to hunt. Another clip captures the moment when the forest team and locals drive the animals away. Reports indicate that the cheetahs were also spotted in nearby farms in Telipura village.
Project Cheetah Director Uttam Kumar Sharma urged villagers to remain calm and allow the animals to move freely.
“Instead of surrounding the cheetahs or standing with sticks, villagers should watch them and allow them to pass. If a big cat kills cattle, the owner will be compensated,” he assured.
However, wildlife activists criticized the incident as a failure of the authorities to effectively implement the project.
“While the state government and its wildlife department claim to have SOPs (standard operating procedures) and monitoring teams in place, this video is a reality check,” said Bhopal-based activist Ajay Dubey.
“The authorities created 'Cheetah Mitras' to assure people that these animals do not harm humans and that compensation is available for livestock losses. This incident shows they have failed to create awareness,” he added.
The incident occurred around 9 AM when Jwala, one of the cheetahs introduced under the project, ventured near farmlands with her cubs in search of prey, the Press Trust of India reported.
Alarmed by the sight, several villagers gathered, creating a commotion to protect the calf. Some individuals resorted to throwing stones at the big cats, forcing them to retreat into the forest.
Forest department officials monitoring the cheetahs intervened to prevent further escalation. All five cheetahs were reportedly healthy and safe.
“Today, around 9 am, Jwala and her four cubs tried to hunt a cattle calf on the outskirts of Behardha village near farmlands. Seeing this, some villagers gathered and created a commotion to save the calf. One or two people also threw stones,” PTI quoted an official source.
Videos circulating on social media show villagers, armed with sticks, standing at a distance while a cheetah attempts to hunt. Another clip captures the moment when the forest team and locals drive the animals away. Reports indicate that the cheetahs were also spotted in nearby farms in Telipura village.
Project Cheetah Director Uttam Kumar Sharma urged villagers to remain calm and allow the animals to move freely.
“Instead of surrounding the cheetahs or standing with sticks, villagers should watch them and allow them to pass. If a big cat kills cattle, the owner will be compensated,” he assured.
However, wildlife activists criticized the incident as a failure of the authorities to effectively implement the project.
“While the state government and its wildlife department claim to have SOPs (standard operating procedures) and monitoring teams in place, this video is a reality check,” said Bhopal-based activist Ajay Dubey.
“The authorities created 'Cheetah Mitras' to assure people that these animals do not harm humans and that compensation is available for livestock losses. This incident shows they have failed to create awareness,” he added.
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