nine-cheetahs-from-botswana-reach-kuno-count-rises-to-48

Nine cheetahs airlifted from Botswana were released into a quarantine enclosure at Kuno National Park on Saturday, taking India’s big cat count under its reintroduction programme to 48.

 

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav released six female and three male cheetahs into the enclosure, Madhya Pradesh Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) L Krishnamoorthy said.

 

The third batch of cheetahs from Africa arrived earlier in the day aboard an aircraft of the Indian Air Force as part of the Centre’s four-year cheetah population revival plan.

 

District public relations officer Avantika Shrivastava said the animals were flown from Botswana to Gwalior on an IAF aircraft and later transported to Kuno in IAF helicopters.

 

Project Cheetah Director Uttam Sharma said the IAF has been assisting the revival programme since its inception, having earlier transported cheetahs from Namibia in September 2022 and from South Africa in February 2023.

 

Also read: 3 cheetah cubs born at KNP, India count rises to 38

 

“The arrival of more cheetahs will strengthen the revival programme. With the support of the Central government, we aim to increase the population to 50 as soon as possible,” Sharma said.

 

According to officials, three cheetahs have been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, while 36 remain at Kuno.

 

Wildlife experts have maintained that endangered animals are generally not kept in a single habitat because of the risk of disease outbreaks that could wipe out an entire population.

 

The cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal, had become extinct in India nearly seven decades ago before being reintroduced under Project Cheetah.

Breeding at Kuno has gathered pace. Last year, 12 cubs were born at the park, though six, including three cubs, did not survive. This year, nine cubs were born in two litters between February 7 and February 18.

 

In total, 39 cubs have been born at Kuno since 2023, of which 27 have survived.

 

Namibia-born Jwala and Aasha, South Africa-born Gamini, Veera and Nirva, and India-born Mukhi have all produced litters at the park, officials said.