Nine cheetahs from Botswana arrive at MP’s Kuno National Park

Nine more cheetahs from Botswana landed safely at Kuno National Park (KNP) on Saturday, taking India’s total count of the big cats to 48, an official said.

The third batch of cheetahs from Africa arrived on IAF aircraft as part of a four-year population revival plan, the official said. Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav will release the big cats into enclosures readied at the park, he said.

The new batch from Botswana was flown in to Gwalior on an Indian Air Force aircraft, and from there, IAF choppers transported them to KNP, Sheopur public relations officer Avantika Shrivastava told reporters.

This was the third batch of cheetahs arriving from Africa, following earlier introductions from Namibia and South Africa, officials said.

The IAF has assisted the cheetah revival programme by bringing them from Africa. It had transported the animals from South Africa in February 2023, and brought big cats that arrived from Namibia in September 2022, Project Cheetah Director Uttam Sharma said.

“The arrival of more cheetahs will strengthen India’s cheetah revival programme. With the support of the Central Government, we aim to increase the population to 50 as soon as possible,” he said. Three cheetahs have been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, while 36 have remained at KNP, he said.

Officials said endangered animals are usually not kept in a single habitat due to the risk of disease outbreaks that can wipe out their entire population at one go.

Last year, 12 cubs were born in the park, though six — including three cubs — did not survive. This year, between February 7 and February 18, nine cubs were born in two litters.

In total, 39 cubs have been born at KNP since 2023, of which 27 have survived. Namibia-born Jwala and Aasha, South Africa-born Gamini, Veera and Nirva, and India-born Mukhi have all produced litters at the park.