Kuno was found to be suitable for cheetahs but their reintroduction will take a long time as it has to be seen whether the 12 to 15 cheetahs that are slated to arrive in the first phase later this year or early in 2022, are able to hunt and kill prey at Kuno, which happens to be a large enclosure
Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has a reason to rejoice. In the next four to six months, it will be welcoming cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa, according to Union environment ministry officials. Cheetah was declared extinct in the country in 1952 and this move comes 74 years post them being killed in India.
The Supreme Court that in 2013, imposed a stay on introduction of African Cheetahs to Kuno on January 28, 2020, approved the introduction of the African Cheetah in India on an experimental basis.
Kuno was found to be suitable for cheetahs but their reintroduction will take a long time as it has to be seen whether the 12 to 15 cheetahs that are slated to arrive in the first phase later this year or early 2022, are able to hunt and kill prey at Kuno, which happens to be a large enclosure.
In the next five years 40 to 50 are likely to be reintroduced, SP Yadav, member secretary at the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), said.
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says that the Asiatic Cheetah is endangered. In fact the Asiatic Cheetah only exists in Iran. The challenge is that both the Chinkara and Chital group size in Kuno are very small
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) approved this proposal according to Wildlife Trust of India. It was the Wildlife Institute of India that in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India assessed potential sites and in 2010 recommended Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh; Shahgarh landscape in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan); and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh for introduction of the African Cheetah.
Cheetahs love to hunt for chital, chinkara and black bucks. Each cheetah needs 10 to 20 sq km area, much smaller area than that for a tiger, they do not attack humans and they prey mostly on small ungulates (hooved mammals).
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says that the Asiatic Cheetah is endangered. In fact the Asiatic Cheetah only exists in Iran. The challenge is that both the Chinkara and Chital group size in Kuno are very small.
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