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Cheetah Reintroduction in India
Cheetah Reintroduction in India
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Cheetah Reintroduction in India
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Why deft diplomacy is key to early translocation of the cheetah to India
At the end of February, a team of officials, wildlife experts and scientists from India visited South Africa and Namibia to give final touches to the cheetah translocation programme. Under the programme, cheetahs from the two African nations are to be released first at the Kuno Palpur National Park in Madhya Pradesh and later, if all conditions are met, at a few other locations in the state as well as Rajasthan. The team returned to India a week later but is not in position to give a dateline for the project. The Supreme Court had, in January 2020, cleared the cheetah translocation project. A little over two years after the clearance, the Kuno Palpur reserve still awaits the big cats. An insight into the delays could come from the way wildlife is treated in both African countries. In Namibia, one of the important donor countries for India, wildlife is state-owned. The Namibian and Indian governments are in the process of signing an MoU for the transfer. Top government sources said that the Namibian government has sought India’s support on a provision to enable trading of ivory, which Namibia treats as a resource. The Indian government will perhaps not be able to support the demand of the Namibian government and has proposed some changes in the MoU. The MoU is expected to be finalised in the coming days after which the dateline for the translocation can be announced. South Africa has a lot of privately-owned wildlife. The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), a South Africa-based NGO that has been supporting India in its quest for the cheetahs, had decided to give a number of specimens to India. A cheetah expert from EWT, Dr Vincent van der Merve, visited Kuno Palpur and approved of the preparations being made there. However, when Indian officials wrote to their South African counterparts, a query was raised on how many cheetahs the country could spare. “We require 35-50 specimens for a viable programme, or around 10 cheetahs each year over five years,” says J.S. Chauhan, chief wildlife warden, MP. Meanwhile, a 5 sq. km enclosure has been created at Jakhoda inside the Kuno Palpur National Park for the cheetahs. A sub-division of the enclosure would be done after the cheetahs arrive. The enclosure has a 9.5 ft high fence, which is buried two feet underground to keep rodents and wild boars from damaging it. The earlier delays were due to the Covid waves, which prevented Indian teams from visiting South Africa and Namibia. Kuno has also witnessed a decades-long delay in receiving Asiatic lion from Gir National Park as part of the lion reintroduction project. https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/why-deft-diplomacy-is-key-to-early-translocation-of-the-cheetah-to-india-1926092-2022-03-16
Govt gears up for African Cheetah Project
Madhya Pradesh Forest Department geared up to bring African Cheetah in India’s Kuno palpur National Park with the help of Qatar Airlines. Sources said that Qatar Airlines has given its consent to translocate the Cheetah from African country to India’s Delhi airport. Officials of Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi have already visited countries in South Africa to bring the spotted cat.
District Forest Officer (DFO) P K Verma, Kuno Forest Circle Sheopur, said that Centre has sent proposal to Namibian Government for signing the MoU. Cheetah will be brought to India with the help of Qatar Airlines free of cost. In first phase, India will get 12 Cheetahs free of cost. There will be no charge for the spotted cat. For second and third phase of translocation, India will be paying consolidated amount in exchange of animal and transportation. Sources said that Indian Oil Corporation is funding the project with Rs 100 crore.
Cheetah Project of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is being delayed for various reasons. When team visited Namibia to discuss the plan of Cheetah translocation, African Government said its officials to make assessment of habitat in India Kunopalpur before signing the MoU. African Government has also sent its proposal with certain conditions for the translocation to India. Concerned MoU will sign up by both countries after fulfilling the terms and conditions.
Officials and scientists team from India discussed the plan to bring the spotted cat from Endangered Wildlife NGO. The NGO has lots of Cheetah and it is ready to give the cat to India after approval of African Government.
Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has proposed to bring 14 to 18 Cheetahs in first phase. The special enclosures are ready to keep the spotted cat for six months. Officials said that planning has been made to start the translocation process in last week of April and first week of May. Sources said that proposal is there to sing contract for 35 to 40 Cheetahs in India in different phases. In five years, cheetah will be brought to India in several phases and they will be relocated to different states of India. After signing the contract with Namibian Government, translocation
translocation process would begin. Another team of forest officials will be visiting Namibia by the end of April for the project. In this team national park director, veterinary doctor and other field staff will be present to learn the monitoring trick of spotted cat. The team will be taking training in Namibia. After that a team of experts from Namibia would be visiting Madhya Pradesh for six months. In order to manage the stress level of Cheetah after travelling in airways, experts’ team will be visiting the State. The team will be training forest staff of Kunopalpur for stress management in spotted cat. Cheetah will be kept in special enclosure for six months to reduce the stress level. Regular monitoring will be done to check their health status in enclosure. PCCF (Wildlife) J S Chauhan and his team had returned to Madhya Pradesh after week-long visit to Namibia to learn the behaviour and protocols of cheetah. It would cost around Rs 75 crore for maintenance of Cheetah in five years. https://www.thehitavada.com/Encyc/2022/3/25/Govt-gears-up-for-African-Cheetah-Project.html
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
Kuno sanctuary ready to welcome cheetahs
Bhopal: The wildlife wing of the Madhya Pradesh forest department has invited experts from NTCA and WII-Dehradun for a final inspection of Kuno wildlife sanctuary with positive indications from Namibia for execution of the world's first intercontinental translocation project. Kuno is ready to welcome cheetahs. Everything needed for the translocation, including the enclosures, are ready, officials say. The Namibian government has agreed to sign the revised MoU that was sent by the Indian government with minor changes, said sources. “Hopefully cheetah will reach Kuno by August this year. We just want the experts to check the arrangements before shifting starts,” said an officer. Officers here had plans to get cheetahs from South Africa if not from Namibia over speculations that the latter was trying to use the project for securing ivory trade support. Indian authorities were also 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. 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. 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 claims that their CITES's decision has hindered their conservation efforts). The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952 -- the only large carnivore to disappear from Independent India. https://m.timesofindia.com/city/bhopal/kuno-sanctuary-ready-to-welcome-cheetahs/articleshow/91358001.cms
Cheetahs will soon be settled:After South Africa, now Namibia has also agreed to give cheetah
The project for the settlement of cheetahs in the Kuno National Park is going on for three years. With which the Kuno National Park has been completely prepared. Along with this, apart from South Africa, Namibia countries were also trying to bring cheetahs. But some conditions were placed by Namibia, due to which the chances of winning from there were reduced. But after South Africa agreed to give cheetahs to India, now the country of Namibia also agreed to give cheetahs. Kuno National Park's DFO PK Verma said that in the past Namibia was placing some conditions regarding giving cheetah, but after South Africa agreed to give it, now it has also agreed to give cheetah. With which African NGO World Adventure is helping to get the cheetahs from Namibia. The team of the same Kuno National Park can also go to South Africa by the end of May to train on cheetahs. The government has given them instructions to keep preparations. Namibia agrees to give cheetah, helping adventure South Africa has agreed to give cheetah. Along with this, the Namibian country, which is keeping conditions on giving cheetah till now, has also agreed to give cheetah to India. In which African NGO World Adventure is helping. -PK Verma, DFO, Kuno Forest Division, Sheopur https://www.bhaskar.com/local/mp/sheopur...04394.html
Madhya Pradesh government intensifies preparations to bring cheetah, forest officials went to South Africa
The Indian government may sign a contract with the government of Namibia or South Africa next week to bring cheetah to the country. In view of this preparation, the Madhya Pradesh government has also intensified the preparations to bring cheetah. A team of forest officials and experts left for South Africa on Sunday. This team will also go to Namibia. The team will stay there for about 10 days and take other technical training including cheetah care. In the first phase, 12 cheetahs can be brought. The team includes DIG Rajendra Darbar of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Forest Division Officer (DFO) of Kuno Palpur National Park, Prakash Verma, ACF Amritanshu Singh, Dr. Onkar Zone. Chief Wildlife Custodian of Madhya Pradesh JS Chauhan told that the team will take training to take care of the cheetah, make it unconscious and take care of their health so that there is no problem in their care after being settled in Kuno Palpur. Sources reveal that NTCA and senior state forest officials are also in constant talks with top officials of the Namibian government. They had also agreed to give the cheetah, but due to one condition, the Government of India withdrew. The Namibian government wanted the support of the Indian government against Sitis (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species). The organization works internationally for wildlife conservation and the Namibian government allows cheetahs to be slaughtered and sold for their parts. In this matter, the institution has put pressure on Namibia. No other country is supporting him in this. Experts say that Namibia is now removing this condition. Cheetah expected to arrive by August Amidst the new equations, 12 cheetahs are expected to come to Madhya Pradesh by August. Officials say that after the contract is done next week, preparations will start to bring the cheetah. How the cheetah will be brought, what will be the way etc. is almost decided, just waiting for the contract. https://www.naidunia.com/madhya-pradesh/...ca-7547455
Relocation of cheetahs: Training of Kuno forest officials begins in Namibia
Bhopal: Team of forest officers from Kuno has been sent to Namibia to learn handling Cheetahs as the world's first intercontinental translocation is likely to be executed in the next few days. Team is led by the DFO of Kuno wildlife sanctuary – P K Verma. However, some of the officers who were scheduled to take part in the training could not take off due to various reasons, said sources. Training sessions include methods of physical capture, placement of cheetah traps, catching an entire group of cheetahs, handling cheetahs once they have been captured, human safety, chemical capture, preparations to be done before chemical capture, choosing an anaesthetic agent, dosage, administration of the anaesthetic agent, management post administration of the drug, recovery post-anaesthesia etc, said sources. “All doubts regarding the translocation are clear. Namibian authorities are also ready now. It won’t take many days for cheetahs to reach MP,” said a forest officer, requesting anonymity. Earlier 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 and held a bilateral talk with the government officials for sourcing a few Cheetahs into their historical range and wild habitat in India. Assigned with the task of finalising sources, destinations of the project and the timeline to carry out world’s first inter-continental translocation, this team had left for Namibia. Their goal was to finalise modalities for the translocation of cheetahs to the Kuno National Park. India has a plan to bring 12-14 cheetahs from South Africa, Namibia and other African countries over a period of five years. The cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952. Currently there are no cheetahs in any National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary in the country. Cheetah is, in fact, the only large carnivore to have become extinct in Independent India. https://m.timesofindia.com/city/bhopal/relocation-of-cheetahs-training-of-kuno-forest-officials-begins-in-namibia/articleshow/91952586.cms
India Set To Reintroduce Cheetahs By August
India is all set to introduce cheetahs from South Africa in a wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh by August as part of attempts to rehabilitate the species that had become extinct from the country. A top environment ministry official said a special 10 sq km enclosure for cheetahs has been readied at the Kuno-Palpur National Park in Madhya Pradesh and would soon be home to at least six cheetahs that would be brought here from South Africa. “The agreement with South Africa is in place and is being vetted by the legal cell,” he said. Talks were also on with Namibia for introducing cheetahs from there in India, but have hit a roadblock over certain issues related to hunting. “We plan to introduce 8-10 cheetahs every year and take the number to 50 over a five-year period,” he said. A team from South Africa is visiting Kuno Palpur next week to examine the arrangements made for the cheetahs. Discussions to bring the cheetah back to India were initiated in 2009 by the Wildlife Trust of India. Cheetah is the only large carnivore that got completely wiped out from India, mainly due to over-hunting and habitat loss. The Supreme Court had appointed an expert panel, which approved Kuno Palpur as the possible location for cheetah relocation. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-set-to-reintroduce-cheetah-by-august-3045813
A member team arrived from Africa to see the habitat of cheetahs in Kuno
The process of settling African cheetahs in the Kuno National Park has now gained momentum. On June 9, Kuno had returned to India with DFO PK Verma after training from South Africa, that on Tuesday, a 3-member team from South Africa has arrived in Kuno. This team has come to Kuno to take stock of the compatibility and arrangements for the cheetahs. A six-man team from South Africa and Namibia reached Sheopur on Tuesday. After reaching Sheopur, the team visited Kuno National Park along with Kuno DFO and other officers. Let us inform here that in the 3-member team from Africa, Dr. Larry Marker, Dr. Adrian, Vicente and Cars had come to India 2 days ago. On Monday, Indian wildlife experts from Dehradun had come to Sawai Madhopur National Park along with Dr. Yavi Jhala and Vipin. Staying there in the night, reached Sheopur at around 1 pm on Tuesday. After this, the team reached the Kuno National Park and learned the status of the forest area of the entire park along with the local authorities. Along with this, inspected the special enclosure of 5 square kilometers made for cheetahs and saw the arrangements. This team will tell the shortcomings or work as per the need in the special enclosure made for the cheetahs. The team had returned from Africa 4 days ago - Under the Cheetah Project, a five-member team has returned from a tour of South Africa and Namibia from 29 May to 9 June. National Tiger Conservation Authority's DIGF Rajendra Garwad, Kuno National Park's DFO PK Verma, Dr. Vipin from Wildlife Institute of India, Kuno National Park's SDO Forest Amritanshu Singh and Veterinarian Dr. Onkar Achal's team took training in Africa and trained in cheetahs. Learned about behavior and living habits. Now the team of Africa has come here to take stock of the arrangements. This has raised hopes that in the next few months, African cheetahs may shift to Kuno. https://www.naidunia.com/madhya-pradesh/...no-7595610
The expert team from South Africa saw the cheetah enclosure, asked to remove the minor shortcomings
To see the habitat of cheetahs in the Kuno National Park, a team from the African country of Namibia and South Africa, on Wednesday morning, on the second day on Wednesday morning, saw a five km area for cheetahs to live in Palpur. The team found some minor flaws in the enclosure. To get rid of them, Kuno asked the management. They have liked the sources made for drinking water for the cheetahs in the enclosure. In the afternoon, wildlife experts from Delhi and Dehradun, along with the team at Kuno Rest House, trained the staff through presentation. In the evening, the team will see wildlife for food for cheetahs in Palpur East. The team will also roam in the forest on Thursday. The team will leave for Delhi from Sawai Madhopur on Friday morning. Let us inform here that on Tuesday, expert Dr. Jari Marker from Namibia, Vincent from South Africa, Dr. Adrien Dehradun had come to Kuno Park with senior scientists Dr. YV Jhala and Vipin of Indian Wildlife Institute. On Tuesday, he had seen the cheetah enclosure only from outside. On Wednesday morning he again reached to see the enclosure. Here the team found small shortcomings in four-five places, which asked DFO PK Verma to rectify them. The team really liked the structure of the water bodies built in the enclosure for the cheetahs to drink. However, the management had made only one or two places as a sample, so that if the team did not like it, they could make it according to their instructions. Although the team has liked the water sources created by the management, so according to the same design, water sources will be prepared in all the five sectors of the enclosure. Today wildlife will be seen in the forest for the food of cheetahs On Wednesday evening, the team inquired about the condition of the wild animal for food for the cheetahs in the forest. Along with this, after discussing with the employees who are deployed for the protection of cheetahs, they have also been trained. From Thursday morning till evening, she will roam around Kuno Park and see the open ground, grass etc. for cheetahs. Along with this, the number of wild animals will also be known. Due to which the cheetahs will not have to worry about food in future. According to the Kuno officials, the team has liked the atmosphere of the Kuno. The team will return on Friday. The team from Africa will now also stop Gurchar in the park and watch the wildlife for the food etc. of the cheetahs. Also go to see the open field. The team will probably leave for Delhi on Friday. https://www.naidunia.com/madhya-pradesh/...gs-7596285
Seeing Kuno, the team that came from South Africa returned, now will go to Gandhi Sagar and Mukundara Park in Rajasthan
Teams from Namibia and South Africa to see the habitat of cheetahs in the Kuno National Park have returned after being satisfied with the preparedness and security here. However, the team has pointed out some shortcomings, which the manager will make up for soon. If all goes well, in the last week of August or the first week of September, the roar of cheetahs will be heard in Kuno. On Friday morning, the team will go to Mukundra in Rajasthan and then to Gandhi Sagar National Park in Mandsaud. The team will also take stock of the preparations being made for the habitat of cheetahs here. Let us inform here that on Tuesday, expert Dr. Lari Marker from Namibia, Vincent from South Africa, Dr. Adrien Dehradun had come to Kuno Park along with senior scientists of Indian Wildlife Institute Dr. YV Jhala and Vipin. On Tuesday, the team had only seen the enclosure made for the cheetahs from outside. Whereas on Wednesday, he had come to see the enclosure from inside. The team found small shortcomings in four-five places, which were asked by DFO PK Verma to rectify them. The team really liked the structure of the water bodies built in the enclosure for the cheetahs to drink. The management had made water sources in the enclosure through the Gajlar system. For example, a Gajlar system (Bolnuma) has been installed in the water source made in the form of a cistern, as soon as the water becomes less than the source, the water will automatically turn on and will turn off after filling. Discussed with ex-servicemen and villagers - The team discussed with the retired army personnel deployed in the security of Kuno to know how they protect the park. The team discussed with the forest guards and gave them some important tips. Also see the open field in the park and the Rasgulla and Sukra grass fields standing in it. The team has told that it is not necessary that the cheetah do its prey by running, but sometimes it also hunts by hiding. The team discussed with the villagers adjacent to the park. Team members have come before. Kuno - According to Kuno DFO PK Verma, Dr. Lari Marker, who came from Namibia, has also come to Kuno in the year 2011, when there was talk of bringing Gir lion to Kuno. While Dr. Vicente, who came from South Africa, came to Kuno in April 2021. In such a situation, the experts in the team were already familiar with the geographical location of Kuno. The team members left satisfied with the preparations. The team will go here too - It is said that the team from Africa will first go to Mukundra National Park in Rajasthan. From here it will visit Gandhi Sagar National Park in Mandsaur district of MP and then Nauradehi Park in Sagar. After this the team will go to Delhi and from here will leave for South Africa. Version - Arrival from Africa has left for Rajasthan on Friday morning. The team seems satisfied with the preparations for the cheetahs in Kuno. If all goes well, the cheetahs will come to Coono in the last week of August or the first week of September. Peak Verma, DFO Kuno National Park. https://www.naidunia.com/madhya-pradesh/...an-7602323
UN study points to difficulties in breeding cheetahs in captivity
Cheetahs are “notoriously difficult to breed in captivity”, a new study by the global wildlife regulator affiliated to the United Nations has found based on long time research on cheetah breeding in captive facilities in Africa, the world’s largest wild home of the fastest land animal on the planet. The study commissioned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be discussed by countries at the next standing committee meeting of CITES in Geneva from July 7 to 11, a notice of the meeting said. The comprehensive study conducted by the cat specialist group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with two other organisations comes at the time when India has decided to import 8-10 cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia for breeding in captivity in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno Palpur National Park. The first batch of cheetahs from the two countries are expected to reach Kuno by end of August. As of now, cheetah experts, two from South Africa and one from Namibia, are studying the changes made in the Kuno habitat for cheetah relocation and breeding. “Cheetahs are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity – for example, North American cheetahs have excellent genetic variation as well as housing and veterinary care, yet only 23 out of 111 females have had offspring,” the study circulated to 180 signatory countries of CITES said. Dubious methods Although some South African facilities such as the De Wildt (now Ayn van Dyk) Cheetah Centre, one of the two registered with CITES, have been successful in producing more than 600 cubs in the past 30 years, cheetah experts suspect that some facilities in South Africa may not have mastered the challenge and are “illegally trading, nationally and internationally”, in live captured wild animals, the study also said. The study suspected that the cubs are being smuggled from northern Africa, where they are available on private land, to these breeding centres to show success. “At present, it is unclear whether South African authorities can certify with confidence that all animals that are exported as specimens bred in captivity meet all the Convention’s bred-in-captivity conditions,” the study said. In wake of the claims and studies that cubs are being smuggled, the South Africa’s CITES Management Authority recently announced it would exercise increased national oversight of the provincial captive cheetah registration system, with the aim of ensuring uniform implementation of protected species regulations, the study said. South Africa is the world’s largest exporter of live cheetahs. Export of cheetahs from two breeding centres in South Africa are allowed for “commercial” purpose, although most of the export is reported for non-commercial zoo purpose. India is also getting cheetah from one of these centres. Commenting on the study, Faiyaz Khudsar, a wildlife researcher who worked for many years in Kuno, said that looking at the ecology of Kuno and associated prey base, captive breeding of cheetahs may not be easy. “In absence of certification for confident captive breeding, direction of the introduction programme for cheetah raises many pertinent questions,” he said. Translocation of cheetahs would be from one captive centre to another and there are many questions over whether they can ever be released into the wild, he added. Female cheetahs are solitary and roam vast distances, whereas males defend smaller territories and mate when female pass through, creating breeding issues, according to studies. The breeding rate among cheetahs is lower than other big cats, such as tigers and lions, the studies have pointed out. In addition, the cheetah’s genes pose a challenge to their continued survival, with low rate of reproductive success, research has found. With fewer offspring, cheetah populations can neither grow nor adapt to changes in the environment, especially habitat change. “Cheetahs have experienced genetic bottlenecks in the past, resulting in low levels of genetic diversity in all populations. Historically, cheetahs have faced difficulty in breeding in captivity and their reproduction rate is low,” said Ravi Chellam, CEO, Metastring Foundation, and coordinator, Biodiversity Collaborative. Even the national action plan for cheetah translocation released in January 2022 hinted at the animal’s low reproduction issues. The plan says the Kuno has current capacity to sustain 21 cheetahs in 15 years and 36 after 30-40 years. Cheetahs to remain in captivity “During the initial years of cheetah introduction (5- 6 years) or population below 18-20 adult cheetahs, it may be prudent not to allow cheetahs to disperse into sink habitats of the landscape,” the plan says. India is getting six cheetahs from South Africa’s Cheetah Conservation Fund, a non-government organization, and about four from Namibia in the first tranche. It has signed a memorandum of understanding with the two countries on import of cheetahs for a period of 10 years, which the officials said can be extended by another five years. Vincent Van Der Merwe and Adrian from South Africa and Laurie Marker from Namibia reviewed the preparations in Kuno for translocation of 8-12 cheetahs. When contacted, Merwe refused to speak, saying he has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the government. “I can speak only when non-disclosure period gets over,” he said. The experts told Madhya Pradesh forest officials to divide the 5 sq km enclosure into nine equal parts to keep the males and females separate for planned breeding, officials said. “Once they adapt to the new habitat, two to three male cheetahs will be released into enclosure of female cheetahs,” a forest official said on basis of interaction with African experts. “The team liked the arrangement. They have asked to complete fencing and bifurcation within the next fortnight. We have prepared a special water bowl which will fill automatically so the experts loved the concept and asked to make it in each part of the captivity,” Kuno divisional forest officer PK Verma. “They are happy with the prey base too.” “With experts from South Africa and Namibia, WII (Wildlife Institute of India) experts were also present during the visit,” the state’s chief wildlife warden JS Chauhan said. “All the suggestions and comments will be compiled as a report and will be sent to the government of India for further action.” More than 117 years after the project to rehabilitate lions from Africa failed, the government has readied an enclosure for cheetahs in the dry deciduous forest landscape of Kuno Palpur. In 1905, 10 lions were brought from Africa. Of them, seven reached, who were killed by local villagers. Kuno had lost all its lions by 1872 and cheetahs by early 1920s. In 2010, India embarked upon a new journey for reintroduction of the cheetah into the wild. The plan was to bring cheetahs from Africa and release them in wild to repopulate the cheetah population in the country. Kuno was selected as the habitat where the cheetahs could be relocated. However, the project got stuck as some wildlife activists moved the Supreme Court against the project, saying it was not feasible. The top court struck down the proposal, agreeing with the critics that the survival of the cheetah in a changed ecological demography was difficult. The committee in January 2021 selected Kuno National Park as first destination for the cheetah translocation project. The apex court gave its go-ahead. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/un-study-points-to-difficulties-in-breeding-cheetahs-in-captivity-101655684156366.html?fbclid=IwAR3ZCvwviEkOHz1wxbDhi8TNZi5pKW6vJMt6FP3RwYrSF2n236aAPH8wUiM
Madhya Pradesh: Cheetahs may be in Kuno by Independance Day; final preparations on
The Madhya Pradesh government anticipates the arrival of the first batch of cheetahs from South Africa on August 15 since they have been asked by the nodal team from the Centre to gear up and complete preparations at Kuno National Park for the world's first intercontinental cheetah translocation project. Officials said that Dr Y V Jhala, a senior scientist with Wildlife Institute of India-Dehradun, will arrive in Kuno next week for the final inspection. Last-minute preparations are on but insiders are in doubt about the exact date of the cheetahs' arrival as MoUs are still pending with the Namibian and South African governments. Sources say the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is being ‘secretive’ about the developments and isn’t sharing any inputs with the MP government. Also, transporting cheetahs to Kuno and moving them to their enclosures in mid-August — the peak of monsoon — could be challenging. India is to get 20 cheetahs — 12 from South Africa and eight from Namibia — for captive breeding. Donors visited Kuno last week and expressed happiness over the preparations. The Kuno enclosure can house 10 to 12 cheetahs. The problem is where to keep the rest. The Centre, NTCA and WII are yet to decide on a suitable place. “There are only seven compartments (in Kuno as of now). Nobody knows where the rest will go,” said a forest officer. A team of forest officers from Kuno, who had gone to Namibia to learn to handle cheetahs, is back. DFO of Kuno wildlife sanctuary, P K Verma, who was among them, said the 10-day training was very useful and they are raring to go. The training sessions included methods of capture, placement of cheetah traps, catching an entire group of cheetahs, handling the animals once they have been captured, and human safety. They were also trained in administering anaesthesia to cheetahs and managing the recovery period. India plans to bring cheetahs from South Africa, Namibia and other African countries. The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952, the only large carnivore to become extinct in Independent India. https://m.timesofindia.com/city/bhopal/madhya-pradesh-cheetahs-may-be-in-kuno-by-independance-day-final-preparations-on/articleshow/92761180.cms
India to sign pact on Cheetah relocation with Namibia on Wednesday
India and Namibia will sign pact the much-awaited pact on Cheetah relocation on Wednesday. The pact will be signed between Indian Environment minister Bhupender Yadav and Namibia's foreign minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah who is on an India visit for the India-Africa conclave. India is expected to get a dozen of Cheetah from Namibia under the pact, the first pact anywhere in the world for the transcontinental transfer of such large numbers of carnivorous animals. The Cheetah will be brought to India before August 15 on a special flight. The Cheetahs from the African country will be relocated to MP's Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary. India is also in touch with South Africa to get another batch of Cheetahs. The number of Cheetahs India is will be relocating from South Africa is expected to be around 40. Cheetahs, the fastest land animal got extinct in India in the 1950s, majorly because of excessive hunting. The last cheetahs in the wild were recorded in 1948 when three cheetahs were shot in the forests of Koriya District, Chhattisgarh. In past India has been in touch with Iran for Cheetah relocation, but the plan did not pick up. https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-to-sign-pact-on-cheetah-relocation-with-namibia-on-wednesday-498968 |
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