In a new development for Project Cheetah, India and South Africa have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring dozens of African cheetahs to India over the next 10 years, Reuters reports.
“The first 12 cheetahs will be airlifted from South Africa to India in February 2023,” South Africa's environment ministry said in a statement.
“We plan to relocate another 12 people every year for the next eight to 10 years,” the ministry added.
These 12 cheetahs will be kept in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The park is already home to eight African cheetahs transferred from Namibia. On September 17 last year, a total of eight cheetahs, five females and three males, were introduced into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district.
News agency PTI earlier reported that South Africa's Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy approved India's proposal to relocate the cheetahs in November.
Authorities were awaiting final approval of a formal agreement between the two countries by the President of South Africa.
“Nine cheetahs were quarantined at Rooiberg Veterinary Services, run by wildlife veterinarian Dr Andy Fraser, in Limpopo, South Africa, and the other three were quarantined at Phinda Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. ” an official told PTI in September last year.
According to another media report, a delegation will leave for South Africa in February to welcome 12 big cats to India, bringing the total number of cheetahs in India to 20.
Due to coursing, sport hunting, overhunting, and habitat loss, cheetahs have been completely wiped out from the country. In 1952, the Indian government declared the cheetah extinct in the country.
The Indian government's efforts to restore cheetahs to their historic range in the country since the 1970s led to an agreement with Namibia and the first eight cheetahs to be reintroduced on July 20 last year. Donated. Year.
(Information provided by agency)
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