India seeks Cheetahs from Kenya after reintroduction programme runs into hurdles

New Delhi: India on Tuesday officially proposed the import of cheetahs from Kenya, even as 15 surviving animals brought from Namibia and South Africa continue to stay inside enclosures at Kuno National Park.

"Details of the number of cheetahs that India wants and the number that Kenya can provide, and the timeline haven’t been talked about yet. But yes, the environment ministry has asked for cheetahs," said an official from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Importing the animals from a northern hemisphere country was considered by environment ministry officials after encountering the unique “winter-coat” problem, in which the animals develop a thick coat to protect them from winter chills. In a tropical country like India, such dense fur led to the accumulation of moisture under the collar when the animals were released in the wild. This led to skin infections and deaths, causing a setback to the ambitious rehabilitation programme.

Importing cheetahs from a northern hemisphere country like Kenya, according to officials, may help address such problems.

In September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the first two of the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia at Kuno. A few months later, another 12 were transported from South Africa.

Out of the 20 animals, six died, while the rest are in an enclosure following the detection of skin infections in three. Subsequently, all the animals were brought back to the enclosures.

“They will be considered for release in the wild after the onset of winter and based on the advice of experts,” said an official when asked when the cheetahs would be released again.

In addition, a female cheetah gave birth to four cubs, but three of them died on a single day. “The surviving cub is doing well, showing a normal growth pattern,” he said.