The competition was organized on the Government of India platform mygov.in from September 26 to October 31, 2022. In response, a total of 11,565 entries were received suggesting new names for reintroduced cheetahs.
The Namibian and South African Cheetahs that were released in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park were renamed following a call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people to come up with suggestions.
This development comes after PM Modi in his Mann Ki Baat on September 25, 2022, had urged the people of India to come up with suggestions for cheetahs reintroduced from Namibia and South Africa, with an intention to popularize and sensitize the general public about Project Cheetah.
The competition was organized on the Government of India platform mygov.in from September 26 to October 31, 2022. In response, a total of 11,565 entries were received suggesting new names for reintroduced cheetahs.
Namibian Cheetah's old names were Tiblisi, Freddy, Elton, Siyaya, Savannah, Oban and Asha. The new names are Dhatri, Shaurya, Gaurav, Jwala, Nabha, Pavan and Aasha
South African Cheetah's old names are Phinda Adult Female, Mapesu sub adult female, Phinda Adult Male1, Phinda Adult Male2, Tswalu Adult Female, Tswalu Adult Male, Tswalu Sub Adult Female, Tswalu Sub Adult Male, Waterberg biosphere adult female, Waterberg biosphere adult male, Waterberg biosphere adult male2 and Waterberg biosphere adult male3.
'People for Animals' to move Kerala HC over failure to save bear trapped in well
The new names are Daksha, Nirva, Vayu, Agni, Gamini, Tejas, Veera, Suraj, Dheera, Uday, Prabhas and Pavak.