India’s ambitious Project Cheetah plan seeks to restore a stable population of the world’s fastest land mammal by taking batches of them to India from African countries, but it has suffered a string of setbacks since the first animals arrived in September 2022
India plans to send a number of officials involved in its cheetah reintroduction project on research trips to Namibia and South Africa to learn how to better handle the big cats, after a string of deaths.
India’s ambitious Project Cheetah plan seeks to restore a stable population of the world’s fastest land mammal by taking batches of them to India from African countries, but it has suffered a string of setbacks since the first animals arrived in September 2022.
Six cheetahs involved in the project have died, including three out of four cubs born in India to one of the relocated females.
“There’s a vast difference between the approaches taken by the Indian officials and wildlife staff in Namibia and South Africa.”
“The training visit aims to bridge the gap and provide the best possible handling of cheetahs brought to India.”
— Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
The decision to send government officials to the African countries was announced after Indian Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met with Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh where the cheetahs – of which 14 remain – are housed, in Kuno National Park.
“The officials suggested exposure visits for the staff to learn more about how the cheetahs and the wildlife are best managed,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests J S Chauhan was quoted by The Independent.
“There’s a vast difference between the approaches taken by the Indian officials and wildlife staff in Namibia and South Africa,” he said. The training visit aims to bridge the gap and provide the best possible handling of cheetahs brought to India, added Chauhan.
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