India-SA pact inked, 12 cheetahs to arrive in Feb

New Delhi, January 27

India and South Africa have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to transport 12 cheetahs from the African country next month and reintroduce these in the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The development comes months after eight such felines were translocated from Namibia under an ambitious project.

Under the MoU, an initial batch of 12 cheetahs is scheduled to be flown in from South Africa next month. The cats will join eight cheetahs introduced to India from Namibia, South Africa’s neighbour, in 2022.

“Following the import of the 12 cheetahs in February, the plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years. The terms of the MoU will be reviewed every five years to ensure it remains relevant,” the Environment Ministry said in a statement.

The pact was signed last week and seven male and five female cheetahs are expected to reach Kuno by February 15, an official in the Union Environment Ministry said on Friday.