Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A day ago, female cheetah Jwala and her four cubs outside Kuno National Park were pelted with stones. While creating a furore, the incident has exposed the hollowness of the concept of Cheetah Mitras. Because had the Cheetah Mitras – volunteers roped in to mitigate man-animal conflict by educating villagers – done their job well, Monday’s episode would never have happened.

Awareness campaign is being discussed for villages around Kuno

The incident, however, has made the Kuno officials realise that more needs to be done, and they are mooting the idea of roping in more villagers as Cheetah Mitras. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a forest officer at the park said that an intense awareness campaign is being discussed for villages around Kuno, where residents will be asked not to target the big cat. 

However, roping in more volunteers as Cheetah Mitras may not serve the purpose. As sources said, Cheetah Mitras don’t quite devote themselves fully to the cause, as there isn’t any honorarium or financial assistance for the work. It is only during their extra time that they try to interact with villagers and sensitise them.

Take the case of Pradeep Kushwah, a Cheetah Mitra of the Agra area in Kuno. Speaking to the Free Press, while acknowledging the work he is expected to do, Kushwah said that in the last month, he has hardly done much. There are around 130 Cheetah Mitras in Kuno.

Cheetah Mitras are busy cultivating their crops

A forest officer of Kuno said that every village has Cheetah Mitras, but currently, they are all busy cultivating their crops, so where will they find the time to raise awareness about cheetahs?

Why cheetahs catch more public attention

Meanwhile, giving a plausible reason as to why cheetahs tend to catch more public attention, Kuno National Park Field Director Uttam Kumar Sharma said they move only during the day, opting to rest at night. This is the reason they are easily spotted by the public. “On the other hand, other felines (tiger, leopard) prowl at night, so they aren’t seen so easily. We are gradually trying to sensitise people about the cheetah’s behaviour and asking them not to panic. But a cheetah is a carnivore, so seeing it out in the open, people panic,” he said.