India to Receive 8 More Cheetahs from Botswana; Over ₹112 Crore Spent on Project So Far
India is set to receive eight new cheetahs from Botswana, with the first batch of four expected to arrive by May, as part of the ongoing effort to reintroduce the world’s fastest land animal to Indian forests. Officials from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) shared this update during a recent review meeting of Project Cheetah, held in the presence of Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The cheetahs are being brought in two phases, with four arriving by May and another four to follow. The NTCA officials also confirmed ongoing discussions with South Africa and Kenya to bring more cheetahs in the future. Talks are underway to finalise an agreement with Kenya, indicating India’s continued commitment to diversifying the gene pool and ensuring the long-term success of the cheetah population in India.
Since the launch of Project Cheetah, a total of ₹112 crore has been spent on various aspects of the initiative. Of this, 67% has been directed towards cheetah rehabilitation efforts in Madhya Pradesh, particularly in Kuno National Park (KNP), which remains the central site for the big cat’s reintroduction.
Officials confirmed that 26 cheetahs currently reside in Kuno, including 16 roaming freely in the forest and 10 housed in enclosures at the rehabilitation centre. In a significant sign of adaptation, several female cheetahs—Jwala, Asha, Gamini, and Veera—have given birth to cubs, contributing to a new generation of cheetahs born on Indian soil. The total includes 14 India-born cubs, highlighting early signs of success for the ambitious rewilding project.
To expand the cheetah population and establish a broader conservation area, authorities have planned to relocate cheetahs to the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in a phased manner. This sanctuary, located on the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border, will be developed as an inter-state cheetah conservation zone, following an in-principle agreement between the two states.
Efforts are also being made to strengthen local support and conservation capacity. Special training is being provided to “cheetah mitras”—volunteers from surrounding communities—at both Kuno and Gandhi Sagar to help in monitoring, awareness, and protection.
To track the cheetahs’ movement, satellite collars have been fitted to the animals, enabling 24/7 monitoring. This helps forest officials keep a close watch on the health, safety, and behaviour of the reintroduced cheetahs, many of whom have travelled thousands of kilometres across continents to reach their new home.
Since the cheetahs’ arrival, tourism in Kuno National Park has doubled over the past two years, officials noted. To further boost eco-tourism and awareness, the Madhya Pradesh government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking permission to start cheetah safaris in Kuno. The petition is still pending, as legal clearance is required to operate safaris in forest or eco-sensitive zones.
India’s cheetah reintroduction project made history in September 2022, when eight Namibian cheetahs—five females and three males—were released into KNP, marking the first intercontinental translocation of cheetahs in the wild. This was followed by the arrival of 12 cheetahs from South Africa in February 2023, strengthening India’s efforts to revive the species that was declared extinct in the country in 1952.
As preparations are underway to welcome a fresh batch of cheetahs from Botswana, officials remain optimistic that Project Cheetah will continue to make strides in restoring ecological balance and biodiversity in India’s grasslands.
IT.
