A total of 12 cheetahs are likely to arrive in India from South Africa on January 20 under the cheetah translocation project, officials familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the first batch of eight Namibian cheetahs into a quarantine enclosure in Kuno National Park on September 17.
According to the ‘India Cheetah Reintroduction Action Plan’ prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, around 12-14 wild cheetahs which 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.
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A South African official associated with the project said the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has given his approval in principle and a final memorandum of understanding will be finalized within a week. “Union Forest Director General Chandra Prakash Goyal, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Member Secretary SP Yadav and other forest ministry officials will leave for South Africa from Delhi on January 13 to bring back the cheetahs.” said an official who requested anonymity.
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