Cheetahs Back In Karnataka After 70 Years, 4 Brought In From South Africa

Four cheetahs -- two male and two female -- landed in Bengaluru on Saturday, as part of the central government's efforts to reintroduce the animal to India's ecology.

The cheetahs, brought in from South Africa, were transported to India under the strict supervision of veterinary experts and forest department personnel.

The animals will be transferred to Bannerghatta National Park, located near Bengaluru. 

Karnataka's Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre said officials have been directed to ensure that the cheetahs do not face any difficulty or health issues due to the change in surroundings and climate. 

"The animals must be kept in quarantine, given the prescribed diet for 30 days, and examined for any possible infections before being safely transported to Bannerghatta," he said.

Noting that cheetahs once roamed the forests of Karnataka but have since disappeared, he added, "People should at least have an opportunity to see them in zoos, and their safety must be given top priority."

These felines were brought in as part of the Project Cheetah, a landmark wildlife initiative launched by the central government in 2022.

The initiative began with the import of 8 African cheetahs from Namibia in September 2022. They were released at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Recently, a 25-month-old India-born female cheetah, KGP-2, gave birth to four cubs, taking the total cheetah population in India to 57.

The Asiatic cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in 1952, with the last known sightings occurring just a few years earlier.