Exciting Plans in Motion to Welcome South African Cheetahs to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

According to recent reports, India is actively planning to introduce a fresh cohort of South African cheetahs into its wildlife reserves by the conclusion of this year.

Once the cheetahs arrive, the intention is to rehome them within the serene confines of the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Furthermore, preparations are underway at an additional location known as Nauradehi to accommodate these magnificent creatures.

As of the present moment, Kuno National Park has become home to 15 cheetahs along with a young cub, nearing its maximum capacity of 20 cheetahs. In light of this, new habitats are under development to host the incoming cheetahs by year-end.

Today, on September 17, 2023, marks precisely one year since the initial batch of cheetahs from Namibia was introduced into a specialized quarantine facility at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. This year, authorities are taking extra precautions to select cheetahs that do not naturally develop thick winter coats. This decision stems from the unfortunate outcome last year, where some of the cheetahs developed dense coats during the Indian summer and monsoon seasons, leading to severe infections and fatalities.

It is essential to emphasize that in South Africa, the winter season occurs from June to August. When the transplanted cheetahs unexpectedly grew thicker coats during the Indian summer months, it had detrimental effects on their health, as per expert evaluations.

To mitigate these risks, meticulous screening and selection processes are being employed to identify cheetahs that either do not develop thick coats at all or cultivate thinner ones in the Indian climate. Authorities firmly believe that by doing so, they can prevent untimely losses of these magnificent animals due to infections.

Presently, if reports are accurate, intensive efforts are underway at both the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary and Nauradehi in Madhya Pradesh, with the goal of having these sites fully prepared by November-December of this year.

 

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com