India has renewed its interest in importing a new batch of cheetahs from Kenya. The country plans to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kenya to bring in between 8 to 10 cheetahs as part of its wildlife conservation initiative.
The legal and treaties division of the Ministry of External Affairs in India is currently reviewing the draft of the MoU, according to reports from the New Indian Express.
Plans to source these cheetahs were paused when Kenya changed its stance in February of this year.
A senior official who visited Kenya in August stated, “We were ready to sign an MoU, but a last-minute change of mind on the Kenyan side caused us to put the process on hold.”
During earlier discussions, Kenyan delegates visited Kuno National Park and expressed satisfaction with the veterinary and conservation arrangements in place. The Indian government is expected to offer long-term conservation support to Kenya through the Wildlife Institute of India.
“They(Kenyan delegates) seek provisions in the MoU for long-term support from our premier institutes, which would include regular training for forest staff and the establishment of institutions to enhance conservation efforts in Kenya,” the officer noted.
“We are hopeful that this time both nations will work to establish a viable agreement, and new cheetahs will arrive by the end of the year or early next year at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh,” the Indian official added.
Death of Cheetahs From South Africa
In December 2023, the Indian government officially proposed importing cheetahs from Kenya while hosting 15 surviving cheetahs that had been brought from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park.
Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav emphasized the project’s success despite initial setbacks, including the deaths of a dozen cheetahs at Kuno-Palpur National Park.
“Unfortunate weather and climatic conditions led to the deaths of cheetahs and cubs, but overall, the cheetah project is a success,” Yadav stated. He reported that the current cheetah population in India stands at 25, including 12 surviving cubs.
However, the project experienced significant losses between March 2023 and January 2024, with seven adult cheetahs and five cubs dying during this period.
Officials from the Ministry of Environment in India noted that they had considered importing animals from a northern hemisphere country due to a unique challenge known as the “winter coat.” Cheetahs from the southern hemisphere develop a winter coat on their shoulders and necks.
In Kuno, the winter season coincides with heat, humidity, and rainfall, complicating the situation. This ordeal caused the cheetahs to develop thick fur to stay warm during winter. However, when released into the wild, the heavy fur trapped moisture around their collars, leading to skin infections and even deaths. This situation ultimately undermined the success of the rehabilitation program.
Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj, ADGF (Project Tiger) and Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), stated, “This time, we are focused on bringing felines from the northern hemisphere.”
Kenya shares seasonal patterns similar to those of India, which officials believe will help mitigate the winter coat challenge when importing the new wild cats.
Cheetah Declared Extinct in India
The cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in 1952. According to the Bombay Natural History Society, a wildlife research organization, the last three cheetahs were killed in 1947 by the king of Koriya, a princely state in Central India.
Several factors contributed to the decline of grassland species, including large-scale capture of animals for coursing, bounty, and sport hunting, along with extensive habitat conversion, which significantly reduced the prey base.
India reintroduced cheetahs on September 17, 2022, bringing eight of the big cats—five females and three males.
In February 2023, the country imported another batch of 12 cheetahs from Southern Africa. Now, India plans to bring cheetahs from Kenya on an experimental basis to further support its conservation efforts.
