Extinct Cheetahs Reintroduced Into India

Cheetahs are set to roam in India for the first time since they were declared officially extinct in 1952. At least twenty of them are said to be coming to India – and I had blogged about the country’s plan to reintroduce these big cats on July 21, 2022.

Eight of the acinonyx jubatus jubatus – five females and three males, aged between two and six years – arrived from Windhoek in Namibia to the Indian city of Gwalior on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on Saturday. From Gwalior, the cheetahs were transferred by helicopter to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh state, where they were released. 

Spread over a 289-square-mile area, the Kuno National Park is a sprawling sanctuary with prey like antelope and wild boars for the wild cats. 

An electrified enclosure, with 10 compartments ranging in size, has been built for the animals to undergo a month-long quarantine before being released in the wild. 

Each cheetah will be given a dedicated team of volunteers, which will monitor it and keep tabs on the animal's movement. Satellite radio collars have been put on each cheetah for their geolocation updates. 

This is the first time a large carnivore is being moved from one continent to another and being reintroduced in the wild.