African Cheetahs Set for Historic Re-Wilding in India

African cheetahs brought to India as part of the world's first intercontinental translocation of big cats are set to be released into the wild from Kuno National Park after overcoming health challenges. The phased release will occur post-monsoon and include both adults and cubs born in India.

African cheetahs brought to India as part of the world's first intercontinental translocation of big cats will soon be released into the wild from Kuno National Park. This decision comes nearly a year after the cheetahs were returned to enclosures for health check-ups and monitoring, according to officials.

The Centre's Cheetah Project Steering Committee announced on Friday that the African cheetahs and their India-born cubs will be released in a phased manner after the monsoon recedes from central parts of the country.

According to an official statement, members of the committee and NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) conducted field visits to Kuno to finalize the release schedule. Adult cheetahs will be let into the wild in phases once the rains end, while cubs and their mothers will be released after December.

The first batch of eight cheetahs from Namibia was introduced in India in September 2022, and the second batch of 12 cheetahs arrived from South Africa last February. A complication occurred when some cheetahs developed winter coats, leading to heat-induced infections and the deaths of three cheetahs last year. As a preventive measure, future cheetahs will be sourced from the Northern Hemisphere to avoid biorhythmic complications.

The cheetah population in Kuno currently stands at 24, including 12 cubs born in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)