Cheetah Reintroduction in India

[Matias]

They have been quarantined since July… losing their predatory instincts and good physical shape, as they are in small pens. Three in Phinda and nine in Rooiberg; something is missing in the cooperation agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) between the parties. Who knows, the good will is just to collect the signatures, but the terms of the agreement with South Africa are unique, a whole bilateral understanding needs to be well framed and the South African professionals have strength in their technical opinion. Possibly for different reasons, both countries are buying time as none of the eight Namibian cheetahs are actually released into the greater Kuno landscape.

As time is misused, the effects on the general health of “enclosed animals” can be significantly measured in future adaptive success or failure. The stakes were very high, and it seems evident to me that the challenge was not realistically envisaged. If the eight cheetahs are being poorly prepared, what to say about the twelve that still don't have a schedule on Indian soil. Everything is very slow, the original introduction plan seems to have been abandoned as it was not implemented in practice and communication with the external public is deficient; it is a show of caution and vacillating actions that tends to follow this December.

It is undeniable that as time progresses, less apt for survival are. Reply