The Kuno National Park in central India will introduce cheetahs from South Africa this month after existing African cheetahs from Namibia.

(European News Agency)

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] Indian cheetahs have been extinct for 70 years. Following the "rehabilitation" of 8 African cheetahs introduced from Namibia last year, India will introduce another 100 cheetahs from South Africa, where there are too many animals, within 10 years from this year. The authorities hope This move maintains biodiversity and develops eco-tourism, but some experts criticize it as putting the cart before the horse.

According to comprehensive foreign media reports, the Indian cheetah was declared extinct in 1952 due to the reduction of food due to the conversion of its natural habitat into farmland.

India passed the world's first "Cheetah Relocation Plan" (Project Cheetah) in 2020, and chose to introduce "African cheetahs" that are not local species and are genetically completely different for restoration.

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There are currently 8 African cheetahs from Namibia in (India's Kuno National Park) in central India. This month, 12 African cheetahs from South Africa will be added. "abc" reported that the purpose of this plan is to reduce the number of protected areas in South Africa. There are too many pressures on the number of animals. It is expected to introduce 100 African cheetahs for a period of 10 years from this month, and hope to increase the overall number of cheetahs in the world.

India hopes that this move can maintain local biodiversity and develop ecotourism. However, the legality of introducing cheetahs is still in doubt in the courts, and local residents are also worried that cheetahs will cause losses.

Dr. K. Ullas Karanth, a carnivore biologist and honorary director of the Indian Wildlife Research Center, believes that the cheetah program is costly and poorly conceived. Africa participating in the project wants to get rid of redundant cheetahs, completely unaware of the cheetahs will face. Indian social conditions.

Dr. Kaslen said that to have a free-ranging wild cheetah population, it would take decades to relocate multiple villages to create drier, larger habitats. If there is not enough space to find cheetahs, it is putting the cart before the horse.

The World Wildlife Fund India believes that if the immigrated cheetahs can adapt to the new environment and reproduce, the "Cheetah Project" can succeed in the short term. The ultimate goal is to hope that the cheetah population can survive in the wild and occupy the past Indian cheetah habitat. Only time will tell. Evidence of whether the overall scheme contributes to Indian wildlife.

Project Cheetah ????

India continues in its mission of conservation of wildlife; today is significant in our efforts as Kuno National Park, MP becomes the new home and habitat for cheetahs.

Glimpses of their homecoming in the presence of PM @narendramodi ji. #CheetahInIndia pic.twitter.com/4l7vMRJhkV

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) September 17, 2022