Sheopur (MP): Nine more cheetahs reached the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur from Botswana in southern Africa on Saturday. With this latest arrival, the number of Cheetahs in India has gone up to 48.
The animals were flown to KNP by Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft as part of a four-year population revival plan, the official told PTI. This is the first such project involving cheetahs undertaken in the world.
After remaining in quarantine, the animals will be released into their enclosures by Union forest minister Bhupender Yadav.
The nine cheetahs were flown from new Botswana to Gwalior on an IAF aircraft. From there, they reached KNP in IAF helicopters, the park’s public relations officer Avantika Shrivastava told reporters.
This is the third batch of Cheetahs to arrive in India. The first two had come from Namibia in 2022 and South Africa in 2
023. The IAF has played a crucial role every time the animals undertook the long journey, Project Cheetah director Uttam Sharma said.
“The arrival of more cheetahs will strengthen India’s cheetah revival programme. With the support of the central government, we aim to increase the population to 50 as soon as possible,” he said.
“Three cheetahs have been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, while 36 have remained at KNP, he said.
Endangered animals are usually not kept in a single habitat due to the risk of disease outbreaks that can wipe out their entire population at one go, he explained.
The ambitious plan to re-introduce cheetahs was taken as the world’s fastest land animal became extinct in the country nearly seven decades ago.
International observers have hailed Project Cheetah a success as the mortality rate is considerably low.
Twelve cubs were born in the park last year, though six animals – including three cubs – did not survive. This year, between February 7 and February 18, nine cubs were born in two litters. In total, 39 cubs have been born at KNP 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.