South Africa has stopped sending more cheetahs to India for now. They want to first check the health of the cheetahs they already sent earlier. This decision came after Kenya also refused to send cheetahs to India.
India started a big project in September 2022 to bring cheetahs back after they went extinct in 1947. So far, 20 cheetahs have been brought to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh — 8 from Namibia in 2022 and 12 from South Africa in 2023.
A team of Indian wildlife experts visited South Africa to talk about bringing more cheetahs. They told South African officials that many cheetahs are now living well in the wild with leopards and near villages. They also explained why some cheetahs died — due to extreme heat and being in captivity too long.
South African officials were concerned about poor communication between the two countries and cheetah deaths. They now want to send a minister to India to check each cheetah before deciding on the next step. They’ll look at whether moving more cheetahs is safe for the species and if it will help or harm their future survival.
Since South Africa said no to more cheetahs for now, India asked Kenya. But environmental experts in Kenya objected, saying mixing cheetahs from different regions could be harmful. This goes against the rules of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which says not to mix different types (subspecies) of animals in one area because it can affect their natural traits and survival.
India has now decided not to get cheetahs from Kenya and will only talk to South Africa in the future. Experts also suggested better and more direct communication between both governments. No formal request has yet been sent to South Africa for more cheetahs.
In May 2023, three cheetah cubs born in India died due to extreme heat. To protect others, a solar-powered water system was installed.
What is the IUCN?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global organization that works to protect nature and wildlife. It creates rules and guidelines to help countries conserve animals and plants. The IUCN also tracks which species are at risk of extinction and helps governments make safe choices about wildlife projects.
