An aircraft bringing cheetahs from Africa to India has been modified, making it possible to secure cages in the main cabin. Here’s more on the reintroduction program.
Cheetah reintroduction in India
India declared cheetahs extinct in 1952. The big cat was the prime target of sport hunting, coursing, and a victim of habitat loss. Since the 1970s efforts to re-establishing the species in its historical ranges led to the pact with Namibia. The African nation is donating the first eight cheetahs and starting the reintroduction program. They will be flying to India in a customized Boeing 747-400 from Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Following an overnight journey, they will be reaching Jaipur on September 17.
The ultra-long-range jet can fly for up to 16 hours without stopping for refueling. It is also modified to safely secure the cages to the main cabin while allowing vets to access them during the flight. Additionally, the Explorers Club is classifying this mission as a “flagged expedition”. It is a US-based multidisciplinary professional society aiming to promote scientific exploration.
Eight big cats to come to Kuno National Park
As per the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), five female cheetahs between the ages of two to five and three male cheetahs between the ages of 4.5 and 5.5 years are coming to India. CCF is an international not-for-profit helping save these big cats in the wild.
Among them is a malnourished female nursed back to health by farm laborers. Another female cheetah was captured in a trap cage on the CCF’s neighboring farm, owned by a prominent Namibian businessman in July 2022.
One of the female cheetahs was born in April 2020 at Erindi Private Game Reserve. Her mother had been in the CCF’s cheetah rehabilitation program for about two years and had been successfully released back into the wild.
The male cheetahs include two brothers previously living in CCF’s private reserve near Otjiwarongo, Namibia since July 2021. The third male was born at Erindi Private Game Reserve, a private protected reserve in March 2018.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be releasing the big cats into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on September 17. The release date also coincides with his birthday. However, they will first stay in a smaller quarantine enclosure for a month. Following this, they will move into a six-square-kilometer predator-free holding facility.