Cheetah Reintroduction in India

[Ovie11]

Madhya Pradesh's Kuno to get 100 cheetahs from South Africa in 10 years


BHOPAL: India will get cheetahs from South Africa if not from Namibia, say officials involved in the world's first intercontinental translocation of the threatened species even as the Namibian government denies reports that they were trying to use cheetahs for securing ivory trade support.

"...the ministry of environment forestry and tourism has rubbished reports that they have sought India's support for exemption from ban on ivory trade lifted against translocation of cheetahs to the Asian country," reports the Namibian media. The Namibia and Indian governments have only entered into a memorandum of understanding on the sustainable utilisation of natural resources in general, their minister was quoted.

Indian authorities are in talks with the South Africa government through Endangered Wildlife Trust, which had initially assured providing 100 cheetahs for Kuno wildlife sanctuary in over a decade. "Namibia has not denied (to give cheetahs) yet, but in case if there is any problem, cheetahs will be brought from South Africa," said an officer on condition of anonymity. A five-member team of experts, including principal secretary of 

Madhya Pradesh forest department and chief wildlife warden along with experts from MoEF and WII, had visited Namibia to hold talks on sourcing a few cheetahs to their historical range and wild habitat in India. The goal was to finalise modalities for translocation of cheetahs to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.



The Namibian government reportedly sought India's support against the global ban on ivory trade by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). "Namibia apparently wants India to support their demand for an exemption from the global ivory trade ban against Cheetahs," said a forest officer. Namibia claims that their CITES's decision has hindered their conservation efforts).



Five southern African countries -- Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia -- had proposed that the ban on ivory trade be lifted. These countries constitute the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza-TFCA), which holds two-thirds of the continent's African elephants, say reports. The ban was imposed in 1989 in an attempt to control their declining population mainly due to poaching. India plans to bring 12-14 cheetahs from South Africa, Namibia and other African countries over a period of five years.



Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952




Y V Jhala, dean of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and one of the members of the team, Ashok Barnwal, principal secretary, Madhya Pradesh government and J S Chouhan, principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, Madhya Pradesh among other delegates met the Namibian authorities in February this year. Jhala who is leading this project has got a two years' extension.



They held G2G-level talks with the Namibian officials. They also called on Netumbo Nandi-Ndiatwah, deputy prime minister and minister of international relation and cooperation.


The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952 -- the only large carnivore to disappear from Independent India.



Kuno, meanwhile, is ready to welcome cheetahs. Everything needed for the translocation, including the enclosures, are ready, officials say. tnn



https://m.timesofindia.com/city/bhopal/madhya-pradeshs-kuno-to-get-100-cheetahs-from-south-africa-in-10-years/amp_articleshow/90617843.cms?fbclid=IwAR3iY_MnOzCfNDmST7RgkhZ_GAs4MS33Kpn4urOQwLlfDIC0j6TIBWRoRPs Reply