Cheetahs set to roam free in Madhya Pradesh’s kuno national park after year-long enclosure stay

25 African Cheetahs, including 12 cubs born in india, to be released in phases following monsoon withdrawal

Kuno August 24 2024 :  After nearly a year in enclosures, 25 African cheetahs housed in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park are set to be released into the wild. This significant step is part of the world’s first intercontinental translocation project involving big cats, as confirmed by officials. The move comes after the Centre’s Cheetah Project Steering Committee decided to gradually release the cheetahs, including 13 adults and 12 cubs born in India, once the monsoon retreats from central India.

The project, which has been closely monitored by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and other experts, initially faced challenges, including the unexpected deaths of three cheetahs last year due to septicemia, a serious blood infection. The infections were traced back to wounds caused by the cheetahs’ thick winter coats, which developed under the Indian summer and monsoon conditions. These wounds became infested with maggots, leading to fatal complications. In response, the steering committee has recommended that future cheetah reintroductions should prioritize sourcing animals from Northern Hemisphere countries like Kenya or Somalia to better align with Indian climatic conditions.

The cheetahs currently in Kuno include the first batch of eight brought from Namibia in September 2022 and a second group of 12 flown in from South Africa in February 2023. Although some cheetahs were initially released into the wild, they were returned to enclosures by August 2023 due to health concerns. Only one cheetah, named Pavan, remains free, and he has proven elusive to spot or capture. Despite the challenges, the project’s progress has been promising, with 17 cubs born in India, 12 of whom have survived. The cheetahs, now totaling 25, will be released into the wild in phases, with adult cheetahs set to venture out once the rains subside and cubs along with their mothers after December.

The reintroduction project, while experimental, is viewed as a crucial step in conservation, although it has drawn some criticism. Experts from both India and Africa have expressed concerns about the prolonged enclosure stays, which they believe could cause significant stress to the animals, as cheetahs are naturally inclined to roam over long distances. Despite these concerns, the upcoming release marks a pivotal moment in the ambitious effort to reintroduce cheetahs to the Indian subcontinent.

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