India will soon welcome eight another African cheetahs from Botswana as part of the initiative of the ongoing Chepark project, according to an official statement by Madhya Pradesh. The translocation will take place in two phases, and four cheetahs will be expected to arrive in May 2025 and the remaining four in the coming months.
The announcement was made during a high -level revision meeting held on Bopal on Friday, chaired by the Minister of the Environment, Forest and Bhupender Yadav climate and Chief Minister Madhya Pradesh Mohan Yadav.
Officials from the National Tigers’ Protection Office (NTCA) confirmed that preparations are underway for ongoing preparations and that there is also an effort to bring more cheetahs from South Africa and Kenya.
“There is an effort to bring multiple cheetahs from South Africa, Botswana and Kenya to India. It will be brought to India to two phases. It will then evolve to an agreement between India and agreement, they are developing to India.
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The Cheetah project, launched in 2022, is an ambitious initiative of the introduction of extinct species of cheetahs in the wild. So far, more than Rs. 112 Crore was spent on the project, with about 67% assigned to the rehabilitation activity of cheetahs only in Madhya Pradesh.
With a significant expansion of the project, the cheetahs coming from Botswana will not accommodate in the Kuno National Park, where most of the current population live, but instead will be moved to the Sanctuary Wildlife Gandhi Sagar.
Gandhi Sagar is located near Rajasthan and will serve as a second home for cheetahs and the interstate corridor is evolving through an agreement between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
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The Kuno National Park currently contains 26 cheetahs, of which 14 pups born in India. According to forest officials, adults cheetahs are monitored 24×7 through monitoring of satellite support. Among them, female cheetahs Jwal, Asha, Gamini and Veera have successfully gave birth since their arrival.
To support expansion to Gandhi Sagar, training for local “Gepark Mitras” – trained volunteers and forest staff – to increase monitoring and protection monitoring.
In addition, the Madhya Pradesh government filed a petition at the Supreme Court to permit to initiate the activities of Safari cheetahs in Kuno. “This permit is necessary to initiate Safari in forest areas or environmental zones. The decision on this petition must still be made,” the statement said.
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India began its efforts to introduce 17th September 2022 by issuing eight cheetahs (five women and three men) from Namibia in Kuno. This meant the first intercontinental translocation of cheetahs in the world. In February 2023, twelve other cheetahs from South Africa joined the population.
Upon arrival of new cheetahs from Botswana, Gandhi Sagar’s inclusion signals another phase of Cheeparh-Vyří population on suitable habitats and ensures long-term viability for the fastest land animal on Indian soil.
(Tagstotranslate) 8 other cheetahs coming to India
