70 years after last sighting, India to get Namibian Cheetahs by 15 August

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Last Updated17/03/2022

Cheetah will be reintroduced on Indian soil again exactly 70 years after it was last seen in the Indian subcontinent.
These will be released in the wild in India under an exchange programme being finalised with Namibia.
Kuno National Park is finalised as the suitable habitat for Cheetahs.

It means releasing a species in an area where it can survive.
Large carnivore reintroductions are rapidly being recognised as a technique for conserving vulnerable species and restoring ecological services.
In India, cheetahs will serve as a flagship species for the conservation of grasslands, which are officially designated as wastelands.

It is one of the world’s most-recognizable cats
Nearly all the cheetahs remaining in the wild live in Africa.
It is the fastest terrestrial animal on the planet.
It is categorised as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In 1947, the country's last spotted feline perished in Chhattisgarh.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Asiatic cheetah is a "critically endangered" species that is thought to exist solely in Iran.

It is part of Kuno Wildlife Division (Area- 1235 sq. km)
The south-eastern portion of this area is patchily connected to Panna Tiger Reserve through Madhav National Park– Shivpuri Forest Division.
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan State across the River Chambal is connected on the north-western side.
It is located in Semi-arid biogeographic zone
Kuno River, one of the major tributaries of Chambal River flows through the entire length bisecting the National Park division.
This park is known for the leopard, Jackal, Chinkara

It has diverse habitats conducive for lions and cheetahs constituted by open woodlands, Savanna, Dry deciduous forests, Evergreen riverine forests.
Forest grass species are common in valley habitats while plateau tops had shorter grasses.