2024-05-04 16:16:16
New Delhi: The discussion has once again intensified in India regarding the fastest running animal in the world, the leopard. After Namibia and South Africa, now cheetahs can be brought from Kenya. For this, talks can be held between India and Kenya at the end of this month. In which there will be talk on cheetah sourcing and how cheetahs can be brought to India. Let us tell you that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released cheetahs for the first time in Kuno National Park (KNP) on 17 September 2022, on the occasion of his birthday. These leopards were brought to India from Namibia by a special plane.
What is Cheetah Sourcing?
Cheetah sourcing means bringing cheetah from one place to another. There is talk of bringing cheetah from Kenya to India. In fact, India wants to bring eight to 14 cheetahs from Kenya every year for five years in the next phase of Project Cheetah. So that the number of leopards in India can increase. Let us tell you that even before, cheetahs from other countries have been brought to India under ‘Project Cheetah’. Which includes the countries Namibia and South Africa.
Leopards can be brought from Kenya to India
India will host a delegation of Kenyan officials later this month. It is during this time that talks will be held for the next phase of India’s Project Cheetah. During this conversation, the desire to bring cheetahs to India will be put before the officials. These officers from Kenya can also be made to visit Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. So that they can take stock of all the arrangements made by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.
Last week, a five-member team from South Africa visited Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary and Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Currently, there are a total of 27 leopards in Kuno, including 13 adults and 14 cubs. Let us tell you that when Kenyan President William Ruto came to India last year, India had expressed its desire to have a leopard.
An initiative was taken to reintroduce the cheetahs which became extinct in 1947, after 75 years, in the year 2022. For this, first of all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released cheetahs for the first time in Kuno National Park (KNP) on the occasion of his birthday on 17 September 2022. These cheetahs were brought to India from Namibia by a special plane. After this, in the second phase, on 18 February 2023, 12 cheetahs brought from South Africa were released in Kuno National Park. Now India can bring leopards from Kenya to India.