NEW DELHI: In order to bring back to life the virtually extinct predator the great Asiatic Cheetah, the Indian government has shelled out $ 400,000 to create a natural habitat for the world's swiftest carnivore. The $ 400,000 for the Cheetah Introduction Program of the Indian government will be spent on creating a natural habitat for the animal at the Palpur—Kuna wildlife sanctuary in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. “The money is part of $ 2.4 million payout in four years for the program. The first installment will certainly help setting up the infrastructure for the great predator at our sanctuary,” Dharmendra Shukla, a chief conservator of forests in Madhya Pradesh said. Officials also said that the Palpur-Kunarange had been selected as an ideal habitat for the cheetah, nearly twenty of which would be airlifted and relocated at the 344 sq kms sanctuary soon. Cheetah's were once hunted as a sporting pastime of the Indian royals. The cheetah, which is the fastest predator, were also trained by the British and used for hunting deer on the Indian plains.
