Cheetahs arrive in India from Namibia 70 years after local extinction
The Indian government formally reintroduced cheetahs from Namibia this week for the first time after pronouncing them extinct from their native habitat in India for many years.
The objective was to bring back their extinct population and give them a suitable environment in India.
Eight cheetahs, five female and three male, were transported last week in a specially designed cargo jet from Windhoek, Namibia, to the state of Madhya Pradesh in the center of India.
They were transported by helicopter to Kuno National Park, their new residence, after they arrived at the state’s Gwalior airport.
During their cross-country trip, the cats were accompanied by biologists, wildlife specialists, and veterinarians.
The quest to bring back the extinct species of cheetahs in India is intriguing even if the undertaking seems pretty difficult.
Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, welcomed the cheetahs and let them out of the enclosures into Kuno National Park.
Each cheetah was given a satellite radio collar to track its whereabouts, and a committed group of volunteers tracked its travels.
Cheetahs used to coexist in the jungles with lions and tigers and other big cats before they were eliminated from India in 1952.
The reintroduction of cheetahs into India was hailed as historic by the Prime Minister’s Office of India (PMO).
They would significantly contribute to the revival of India’s open woodland and grassland ecosystems, according to the report.
With a top speed of 113 km/h, the cheetah is the world’s swiftest terrestrial animal. Iran and 19 African nations are currently affected.
According to officials, 12 more cheetahs from South Africa are expected to travel to India this year in order to increase the country’s cheetah population.
According to Parveen Kaswan, an officer with the Indian Forest Service, the next 20 years will be both tough and exciting for the continued existence of cheetahs in India.
Kaswan claims that in the past, rulers and the British hunted not only cheetahs but the majority of the charismatic animals.
“It was very late till the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was passed. Cheetahs were already vanished from India,” the man claimed.
According to experts, long-term programs include conservation strategies including rewilding and reintroduction.
“It will take at least 15 years to reach a consensus on whether they are excellent or poor ideas.
According to Swati Thiyagarajan, “This is the typical period it takes for a species to adapt, rewild, breed, and flourish well enough to become part of the new ecosystem to which they have been brought.”
Journalist Thiyagarajan covers the reintroduction of cheetahs in India.
The reintroduction is being overseen by experts from both the Indian and African sides, and the creatures will be closely watched.
“Every chance will be provided for the program’s success, but in the end, it depends on the animals themselves.”
A vast sanctuary covering 289 square miles is Kuno National Park.
There are hills, grasslands, and forest cover there.
Chitals, nilgai, sambar, wild pig, chinkara, and other animals would be among the prey items available to the new cheetahs.
PeoplesGazette
