Kuno National Park to receive eight cheetahs from Botswana on February 28

A batch of 8 cheetahs is scheduled to beryllium translocated from Botswana to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP) connected February 28, officials said connected Monday (February 23, 2026).

The determination volition instrumentality India’s full cheetah colonisation to 46 arsenic 8 cubs were calved astatine the KNP this month. 

Botswana is the 3rd African federation to nonstop cheetahs to India arsenic portion of the Union Government’s Project Cheetah. Two batches of cheetahs person arrived from Namibia and South Africa since the task to reintroduce the taxon successful India was kickstarted successful September, 2022. Cheetahs officially went extinct successful the state successful 1952. 

IAF transport

Madhya Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF - Wildlife) Subharanjan Sen told The Hindu that the cheetahs — six males and 2 females — volition beryllium brought successful an Indian Air Force cargo level to Gwalior Air Base connected February 28.

“As per the accusation that we have, the IAF volition bring them to Gwalior successful a ample level and from determination they volition beryllium moved to Kuno successful helicopters,” Mr. Sen said, adding that preparations to invited the caller cheetahs person agelong been completed astatine the KNP.

“We already person enclosures acceptable for them and since this is the 3rd specified translocation, our unit is besides trained well. Because it involves inter-continental translocation, they volition acquisition a quarantine process for astatine slightest 30 days,” the apical wildlife authoritative said, adding that a squad of veterinarians and different unit volition perpetually show their wellness and however they are adapting.

Project Cheetah

Botswana formally donated the large cats to India, nether Project Cheetah, as portion of a communal inaugural for wildlife conservation, during President Droupadi Murmu’s sojourn to the African federation successful November past year. 

Since they were symbolically handed implicit to President Murmu, the 8 cats person been nether quarantine at Botswana’s Mokolodi quality reserve.

The current cheetah population successful India is 38, including 27 India-born cubs and 11 adults translocated from African countries. Apart from Kuno, 3 adult cheetahs — 2 males and a pistillate presently reside successful the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary successful M.P.’s Mandsaur and Neemuch districts.  

Since the opening of the ambitious programme, 21 Cheetahs — 9 translocated adults and 12 India-born cubs— person died astatine Kuno owed to assorted causes. However, India’s cheetah reintroduction programme has picked up gait aft hiccups successful the archetypal 2 years, with officials saying that unit present has the acquisition to negociate the large cats.