SA to relocate dozens of cheetahs to India
First group of 12 cheetah to be flown from SA to India in February after the transfers of several cats from Namibia
SA has signed an agreement with India to introduce dozens of African cheetahs to the Asian country over the next decade, the environmental department said on Thursday.
The first were transferred in 2022 from neighbouring Namibia.
A big cat species similar to the cheetah disappeared from India about 70 years ago.
In September, eight radio-collared African cheetahs were released at Kuno National Park in Central India after a 8,000km journey from Namibia, the first time wild cheetahs have been moved across continents to be released.
“An initial batch of 12 cheetah are scheduled to be flown from SA to India in February 2023,” SA’s environmental department said in a statement.
The big cats will join those introduced from Namibia.
“The plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years,” the department added.
Reuters