First batch of 12 cheetahs from South Africa likely to reach India in October

Johannesburg, September 10

Advertisement

The first batch of 12 cheetahs is expected to reach India from South Africa next month as part of an ambitious project to reintroduce the distinctively spotted cat species in the country where it has become extinct, officials have said.

A team of wildlife experts from South Africa returned to their country on Friday from India where they inspected the holding facility where the cheetahs will be released.

Nine cheetahs have been quarantined at the Rooiberg Veterinary Services run by wildlife veterinarian Dr Andy Fraser in Limpopo province, while the other three were quarantined at Phinda game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal province, officials said.

Fraser said he and South African cheetah expert Prof Adrian Tordiffe would accompany the animals expected to reach India next month.

The South African translocation of cheetahs on a still unconfirmed date in October will follow that of eight cheetahs, which are expected to be sent to India from neighbouring Namibia next week.

“There has been a massive collaboration between the nature conservation departments and the veterinarians of South Africa and India. We have had visits from the team that is going to be the custodians of the cheetah on that end, so they are very aware of the process and what is required,” Fraser said.

The veterinarian echoed earlier comments by wildlife expert Vincent van der Merwe, who spearheaded the Cheetah Metapopulation Project that the cheetah population in India would have to reach about 500 for it to be genetically viable.

“Sending 20 cheetahs, which is what will happen in 2022, is not a viable genetic population. They need to get to a large enough population, which will be a conjunction of initially many South African cheetahs and obviously other cheetahs will breed up from the Indian side as well.