Twelve more cheetahs (seven males and five females) will be translocated to India on Saturday, taking the total number of spotted felines in the country to 20 under the ongoing cheetah reintroduction plan. 

 

The new batch of 12 cheetahs will come from South Africa to Gwalior (at 10 am on Saturday) using a C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), and onwards to Kuno National Park (at 11 am on Saturday) using a Mi-17 helicopter. The IAF aircraft left the Hindon air base on Thursday for South Africa to pick up the Cheetahs. 

 

A delegation of cheetah experts, veterinarians and senior officials from both India and South Africa will be accompanying the felines during the transcontinental translocation exercise. Post arrival in India, all twelve cheetahs, ranging from 18 months to four years, will be housed in specially created enclosures at Kuno National Park for completing the mandatory quarantine period where the animals will be intensively monitored. 

 

Earlier on September 17, 2022, the first batch of eight cheetahs was translocated to Kuno National Park from Namibia. All cheetahs from the first batch are keeping well except the one named ‘Sasa’. As per the action plan for cheetah reintroduction in India, annually at least 10-12 cheetahs are required to be imported from African countries for the next five years. “Eight cheetahs who came to India in September last year have adapted well (to their surroundings). 

 

India is now ready to welcome twelve more cheetahs from South Africa,” said environment minister Bhupender Yadav while announcing the translocation details on Thursday. The twelve cheetahs will be released in Kuno National Park by Madhya Pradesh CM and Environment minister Bhupendra Yadav.