India’s dream of bringing back the cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal, is taking another big step forward. Very soon, eight more cheetahs from Botswana in southern Africa will be flying to India to join their new home at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. This is part of the government’s ongoing Cheetah Reintroduction Programme, which began in 2022 after the animal went extinct in India more than 70 years ago.
Eight More Cheetahs From Botswana To Arrive In India Soon
The forest officials revealed that the cheetahs, which include two males and six females, have already been safely captured in Botswana, according to The Economic Times. Right now, they are under quarantine for about a month, where they will undergo medical checkups to ensure they are completely healthy before the long journey to India. Since such intercontinental transfers involve many formalities and permissions, and with the Christmas holidays coming up, officials expect the cheetahs to arrive in January 2026.
Kuno National Park, located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh, is ready and waiting for its new guests. Cheetah Project field director Uttam Sharma said that special enclosures and facilities are already prepared. These arrangements were made when the first two batches from South Africa and Namibia arrived, so everything is prepared for the next group, according to The Economic Times.
This week, a five-person delegation from South Africa travelled to Madhya Pradesh to examine the state’s habitats and ongoing conservation efforts. A team of wildlife scientists, conservationists, and senior officials visited both Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS), located on the border of Mandsaur and Neemuch districts.
South African Team Visits Madhya Pradesh Habitats
The experts praised India’s efforts under Project Cheetah and appreciated how well both the Central and State governments have worked together to bring the species back, The Economic Times reported. This visit was an important step in checking how well the Indian habitats are being managed and whether they can support more cheetahs in the future.
This project first began on September 17, 2022, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the first eight cheetahs from Namibia into a special enclosure at Kuno National Park. Now, three years later, India has 27 cheetahs, including 16 cubs born in India. Of these, 24 are currently living in Kuno National Park, and three are at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
The arrival of the next group from Botswana will be another exciting milestone.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva/Bob Jenkin