India to get eight cheetahs from Botswana this year

New Delhi: India is set to bring first four cheetahs from African nation Botswana by may this year under ‘Cheetah Project’ launched by the government to strengthen the efforts for global conservation of big cat.

Under the project the eight big cats will be brought to India from Botswana in two phases.

This information was given during the review meeting of the cheetah project on Friday in the presence of Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

According to official statement there is a plan to bring four cheetahs from Botswana to India by May. After this, four more cheetahs will be brought. At present, consent is being developed on an agreement between India and Kenya,” stated a release from the Madhya Pradesh government quoting the NTCA officials.

Meanwhile, two cheetahs from the Kuno National Park (KNP) will be relocated to the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Friday that two cheetahs from the KNP will be relocated to the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary on April 20.

“The state government is committed to developing Kuno National Park as a model wildlife tourism destination. Alongside KNP, Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur district will soon host cheetahs,” the Chief Minister said.

During the review meeting on the ‘Cheetah Project’ implementation, it said that cheetah cubs born in Madhya Pradesh have the world’s highest survival rate.

“In contrast, cubs in other countries often struggle to adapt to local climates. Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary offers an ideal environment for cheetahs, prompting the state to introduce them there to enrich the sanctuary,” CM Yadav said in a statement.

Meanwhile, CM Yadav announced plans to develop a paved, all-season road from Gwalior to KNP and establish a tent city within the forest for tourists.

Project Cheetah is a government-led initiative in India launched in 2022 to reintroduce cheetahs into the country, specifically in Kuno National Park, after they were declared extinct in India in 1952.

The project involves translocating cheetahs from Africa, primarily South Africa and Namibia, to establish a viable cheetah population in India. The goal is to restore ecological balance, boost biodiversity, and enhance wildlife tourism and conservation efforts.

As part of the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the species, 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno National Park–eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023.