Without any fear villagers in Sheopur offers water to Cheetahs

Weeks after driving cheetahs away with stones, villagers in Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh, showed a surprising change in behaviour. A viral video captured them offering water to a mother cheetah and her cubs after the animals hunted goats near their fields.

The female cheetah, Jwala, and her four cubs had ventured out of Kuno National Park into a nearby village. After killing around six goats, they rested in a shaded area close to the fields. Instead of reacting with fear or anger, a local villager approached the cheetahs with a steel plate filled with water.

In the video, villagers watched as Jwala and her cubs slowly got up and drank from the plate. They showed no signs of aggression. Some villagers even tried to speak to the animals, calling out “come, come,” hoping they might understand.

The video has since gone viral, with many viewers praising the villagers’ calm response and growing understanding of wildlife.

Offering water or milk to #cheetahs by villagers is not a good sign for #wildlife conservation. This may lead to dangerous consequences. As usual, the forest is undisturbed.@CMMadhyaPradesh @ntca_india @PMOIndia @KunoNationalPrk @Collectorsheop1 pic.twitter.com/3iIIYbd8Kn

— ajay dubey (@Ajaydubey9) April 5, 2025

Just a few weeks ago, the situation had been very different. The same cheetah cubs had entered the village and tried to attack a calf. At that time, villagers had pelted stones at them to protect their livestock. That encounter reflected the tension and fear many locals felt toward the cheetahs reintroduced under India’s cheetah conservation programme.

This recent act of kindness marks a shift. Forest officials believe the villagers are beginning to see the animals not just as threats, but as part of the region’s ecosystem. “They’re slowly learning. But we don’t want them to get too close or start bonding with the animals,” a forest officer said. “That can create future risks—for both the people and the cheetahs.”

Forest officials also warn that the cheetahs are wild animals and should not be treated like pets. They stress the importance of maintaining a safe distance and avoiding any form of interaction that could alter the animals’ behaviour.

Still, this moment stood out as a rare sign of empathy. For now, the cheetahs roam freely, and villagers—once fearful—seem more willing to coexist, at least from a distance.

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