Eight African Cheetahs Set to Arrive at Kuno National Park on Saturday
Fresh Botswana batch to raise India’s cheetah count to 46 under revival mission
Sheopur, Feb 27 : Eight cheetahs from Botswana are set to arrive at Kuno National Park on Saturday morning, marking the third major intercontinental transfer under India’s ambitious cheetah restoration programme.
According to Cheetah Project Director Uttam Sharma, the group six females and two males will depart Botswana late Friday night aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft and land in Gwalior after a nine to ten-hour flight. From there, two IAF helicopters will ferry the animals to the park in Sheopur district, with arrival expected between 9 am and 10 am.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav are scheduled to release the big cats into specially prepared enclosures. The animals will remain in quarantine for about a month as part of acclimatisation protocols.
This latest transfer follows earlier introductions from Namibia in 2022 and South Africa in 2023. With the new arrivals, India’s cheetah population will rise to 46.
Officials said Kuno has readied secure enclosures and five helipads to ensure smooth logistics. The Indian Air Force has been instrumental in previous relocations, including the February 2023 airlift from South Africa.
Currently, 35 cheetahs are housed at Kuno, while three have been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur district to reduce the risk of disease concentration in a single habitat.
India’s cheetah population has also seen encouraging breeding success. Since 2023, 39 cubs have been born at the park, of which 27 have survived. Earlier this month, two litters added eight more cubs to the growing count.
The species, once declared extinct in India nearly seven decades ago, is gradually reclaiming its presence in the wild through sustained conservation and international cooperation.
