The cheetah re-introduction project flagged off on September 17, 2022, with eight cheetahs from Namibia by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will continue with arrival of more cheetahs, but only from South Africa. In second batch, 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February 2023. So far, 14 of those 20 cheetahs and a female cub have survived in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The project witnessed many ups and down due to poor health and criticism of the management after casualties. Talking about the plan for Cheetah Project, authorities said that they are planning to bring 12 more cheetahs from South Africa after careful selection and taking care of health parameters and adaptability in the Indian habitat. They said that Kuno needs at least 50 cheetahs before wild cat population stabilises.

 

Officials said that they have planned to bring cheetahs only from South Africa and not from Namibia. They said that selection of cheetahs will be made very carefully as some of the cheetahs did not grow winter coat and thereby saved

themselves from infection that caused deaths of some of the cats. Two cheetahs, Suraj and Tejas, died of septicaemia in July. The condition was caused by the wet condition in rain and humidity that caused infection among the cats. SP Yadav, Additional Director General of Forest at Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change says, “The next batch of cheetahs would likely not have the ability to grow winter coat.

 

We would focus on to bring more fertile female cheetahs for better breeding.” He further said that there are many supermoms cheetahs in African countries that raised more than ten cubs. However, casualty rate in cheetah cub is higher but the cubs born in Indian soil will be able to adapt better to Indian weather conditions. He further said that new batch of cheetahs will be released to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh in 12 to 14 count. The site is being ready and almost 80 per cent work is done. Target is set to prepare the sanctuary for cheetah by December and bring the new batch of cats by end of December or first week of January 2024.