New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on September 17, which is his birthday, where he will release cheetahs translocated from Namibia.

The release of wild cheetahs is part of the Government's efforts to revitalise and diversify India's wildlife and its habitat. Cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952.

The cheetahs have been brought under an MoU signed earlier this year. The introduction of cheetah in India is being done under Project Cheetah, which is the world's first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.

"This will help in the restoration of open forest and grassland ecosystems in India and also conserve biodiversity and enhance the ecosystem services like water security, carbon sequestration and soil moisture conservation, benefiting the society at large," an official statement said.

Later, the Prime Minister will participate in Self Help Group Sammelan with women SHG members and community resource persons at Karahal, Sheopur.