Second batch of cheetahs likely to arrive in India on Jan 20

A second batch of 12 cheetahs from South Africa is likely to arrive in India on January 20 under the cheetah translocation project, officials aware of the matter told Hindustan Times on Saturday. 

A Union Environment Ministry source had earlier informed the news agency PTI that the cheetahs have been in quarantine in South Africa for the last six months and discussions with South African authorities to translocate 12 cheetahs to India are at an advanced stage. 

Officials from the Kuno National Park also gave a presentation on the preparedness for the introduction of the 12 cheetahs, comprising seven males and five females, at the 20th meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.

According to the ‘Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India’ prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, around 12-14 wild cheetahs (8-10 males and 4-6 females) that are ideal for establishing a new cheetah population would be imported from South Africa, Namibia and other African countries as a founder stock for five years initially and then as required by the program.

The current imported stock is a founder stock for five years initially and as required by the program further imports will be conducted. 

India was once home to the Asiatic cheetah but it was declared extinct there by 1952. The critically endangered subspecies, which once roamed across the Middle East, Central Asia and India, are now only found, in very small numbers, in Iran.