In pics | From South Africa to India: The journey of 12 cheetahs to Kuno National Park
India's 'Project Cheetah'
India's 'Project Cheetah', officially known as the "Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India," aims to reintroduce the big cats back to the country. On Saturday (February 18), 12 cheetahs were welcomed by the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. (Photo: @byadavbjp)
A joint effort by the two countries
Earlier this year, India and South Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sending cheetahs to India, in line with which a dozen cheetahs were scheduled to be flown in from South Africa to India this month. The initiative is being coordinated by the India's Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment in collaboration with South African organisations, National Biodiversity Institute, National Parks, the Cheetah Range Expansion Project, and the Endangered Wildlife Trust, as reported by WION. (Photo: @byadavbjp)
Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster aircraft
Prior to the arrival of the world's fastest animal on land, Indian Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, took Twitter and wrote, " The 12 cheetahs arriving from South Africa, under the visionary leadership of (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) PM Shri @narendramodi ji to restore our ecological balance, have begun their journey to India. Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster aircraft will get them home tomorrow." (Photo: @byadavbjp)
En route to India
The 12 cheetahs were sedated and loaded into crates and on to the IAF's C-17 Globemaster aircraft from Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport on Friday in South Africa to AF Station Gwalior on Saturday after a 10 hour flight. "These Cheetahs will now be airlifted in IAF helicopters and released in the #KunoNationalPark," said the air force, in a tweet. (Photo: @IAF_MCC)
'Second leg of the journey'
On Saturday, after the 12 cheetahs flown in from South Africa landed in AF Station in Gwalior, three Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopters took them to the Kuno National Park, said the IAF.
"The second leg of their journey saw the #Cheetahs being flown from AF Station Gwalior to #KunoNationalPark, in three #IAF Mi-17 helicopters," said the IAF, in a tweet, on Saturday.
(Photo: @IAF_MCC)
Arrived at their new home
The seven male and five female cheetahs after their 8,000-km transcontinental journey finally arrive at their new home Indian state Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park.
"All the 12 cheetahs are healthy, active, alert and absolutely normal. They all have been released to their captivity. It's good news, this task was completed without hindrances,” said Cheetah Project chief SP Yadav.
(Photo: @byadavbjp)
Welcomed at Kuno National Park
The 12 cheetahs were released, on Saturday, in the presence of Indian Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar by the country's Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (Photo: @byadavbjp)
Settling in
As per media report, out of the 12 cheetahs, eight were placed in separate quarantine enclosures while the four others were also kept in enclosures in pairs. Additionally, the big cats will remain in this space for the next month or so and acclimatise to Indian conditions and will later be released in the bigger six square kilometre enclosure. (Photo: @byadavbjp)
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