India is all set to welcome cheetahs, the large carnivores which went extinct in the country in 1952, with a team of experts in Namibia making preparations for their translocation most likely within this month.
WION confirms that all arrangements for relocation of another set of cheetahs from South Africa are already in place but the agreement between India and SA is in its final stages pending signatures from the authorities.
India’s Environment Ministry says that preparations have been made at India’s Kuno National Park in the state of Madhya Pradesh to welcome Cheetahs in August.
However, top reliable sources in the ministry said that cheetahs will not arrive in India before its 75th Independence Day on 15th August, as expected earlier.
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WION spoke to Y V Jhala, the man representing India as an in-charge of the relocation and who is overseeing the developments in Namibia presently.
Mode of Travel
Jhala, who is the Dean of Wildlife Institute of India (WII), said cheetahs will be airlifted from Namibia and South Africa and brought to either Jaipur or Gwalior airports, in Indian states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh respectively, considering their close proximity to their new home in Kuno National Park.
Another official confirmed the same and said that Cheetahs will be brought in chartered plane with veterinarians from South Africa and Namibia onboard and the animals will be transferred from Jaipur/Gwalior airports to Kuno via choppers.
Back up ambulances have also been arranged in case they need to be transported through road. The total travel time is expected to be around 12 hours.
Will Cheetahs be tranquilised, quarantined?
According to Jhala, the Cheetahs will be kept awake under mild tranquilization for the duration of the journey.
However, S P Yadav, Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority and Additional Director General, Project Tiger, said Cheetahs won’t be tranquilized even mildly as it may affect the animal’s health.
However, he said that if the Cheetahs show any sign of agitation or abnormal behaviour, a sedative can be given to control them.
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Tranquilizers or sedatives are injected into animals to control their anxiety, stress and agitation. It makes them drowsy and calm and sometimes even in a state of sleep depending on the dosage
According to both Jhala and Yadav, Cheetahs will undergo 30 days of quarantine at Kuno national park after undergoing the same in their host countries.
“Cheetahs will be quarantined in Kuno for 30 days to check for any abnormalities or disease. Two experts each from SA and Namibia will come and stay here during this period,” Yadav told WION.
Why Kuno National Park, MP?
Wildlife experts identified Kuno-Palpur National Park in India’s Madhya Pradesh for its suitable landscape for cheetahs.
Established in 1981, Kuno National Park is spread over an area of 748.76 square km and is a part of the Kuno National Park division which covers an area of 1235.39 square km. Kuno River, one of the major tributaries of Chambal River flows through the entire length bisecting the National Park division.
Kuno park is home for tigers, Jackal, Chinkara and leopards. It has the potential to carry populations of all four of India’s big cats the tiger, the leopard, the Asiatic lion and also cheetah, all four of which have coexisted within the same habitats historically.
According to NTCA, leopards in Kuno are being released in different enclosures to avoid their conflict with Cheetahs.
India is confident that it will provide the best environment to Cheetahs, Yadav said, adding that experts from South Africa and Namibia visited the Kuno national park and were very impressed with the location.
India MoUs with Namibia and SA
The Memorandum of Understanding between India and Namibia on translocation of cheetahs has already been signed but the one between India and South Africa is pending signatures.
Officials said that the MoU has been finalized from India’s side and has to just be signed by the President of South Africa.
Speaking to WION, Albi Modise, Spokesperson, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa, said that translocation of Cheetahs from South Africa to India is a “historic moment” and that discussions are going on between the two countries which will culminate into signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between them.
“Discussions between South Africa and Indian officials have been ongoing for past few months. The discussions are part of the request and efforts to translocate a few cheetahs from SA to India. The discussions are largely at the point where the two countries have agreed on the parameters within which the MoU which is a memorandum of understanding to be signed by ministers with environment portfolio in South Africa and India.
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“At this point one cannot say much except to say that indeed those discussions are happening, and those discussions will ultimately culminate in the signing of the MoU between South Africa and India facilitating the translocation of the cheetah from SA to India,” Modise said.
“It is a historic moment for us and we want to ensure that as and when it happens, it happens within the parameters of clearly defined laws and also respect the requirements and specifications when it comes to translocation of that particular nature,” he told WION.
India’s environment ministry says that the endeavour to bring Cheetahs to India will enhance the country’s capacity to sequester carbon through ecosystem restoration activities in cheetah conservation areas and thereby contribute towards the global climate change mitigation goals.
“The project aims to establish viable cheetah metapopulation in India that allows the cheetah to perform its functional role as a top predator and provide space for its expansion within its historical range thereby contributing to its global conservation efforts,” the Indian ministry said.
It said that the goal is also to use cheetah as a charismatic flagship and umbrella species to garner resources for restoring open forest and savanna systems that will benefit biodiversity and ecosystem services from these ecosystems.
It also aims to manage any conflict by cheetah or other wildlife with local communities within cheetah conservation areas expediently through compensation, awareness, and management actions to win community support, the ministry said.
