12 South African Cheetahs to reach India’s Kuno this week

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

New Delhi, Feb 16, 2023: Six months after the historic translocation of eight cheetahs from Namibia, India is all set to welcome 12 more Cheetahs from South Africa this Saturday. Air Force’s large military transport aircraft Boeing C17 Globemaster will bring the 12 cats from Johannesburg to Gwalior on the morning of February 18.

 

The animals will then undertake the four-hours journey in helicopters from Gwalior to Kuno. Post landing, they will be shifted to the 10 quarantine Bomas (enclosures) that have already been built at the national park.

“The same protocol will be followed as was done last year. The cats will be quarantined separately for a month, and then be shifted to slightly larger enclosures. If all goes well, they will eventually be released into the wild,” said DG Wildlife SP Yadav. “There are seven males and five females from Phinda and Rooiberg Reserves in South Africa.”

The plan is part of India’s ambitious project to establish a self-sustaining, stable population of cheetahs in India. As part of the MoU, South Africa has agreed to send as many as 10 to 12 cheetahs every year for the next few years to help India realise its big dream, depending on the requirement.