As per the latest developments, the African cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park will soon roam free in the wild. Nearly a year after they were returned to enclosures for health check-ups and monitoring, the African cheetahs that were brought to India as part of the world’s first intercontinental translocation of big cats, will soon get to roam free again in the wild.
The decision to release the cheetahs and their cubs, born in India, into the wild was made by the Centre’s Cheetah Project Steering Committee. The phased release will begin once the monsoon withdraws from central India, which is typically by the first week of October, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Cubs and their mothers will follow in December, allowing them to adapt to their natural habitat gradually.
Officials have confirmed that all 25 cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park — 13 adults and 12 cubs — are in good health. They have been vaccinated and given prophylactic treatments to prevent infections. The cheetahs’ return to the wild comes after a challenging year in which three cheetahs died due to septicemia, a bacterial infection that entered their bloodstream through wounds.
Read more: 5 new districts in Ladakh that will come up in 2028
These wounds were a result of the unexpected growth of winter coats by some cheetahs during the Indian summer and monsoon. Anticipating the African winter, the cheetahs scratched their thick coats, causing injuries that became infected. This unforeseen complication highlighted the challenges of managing African cheetahs in the Indian climate.
In response to these challenges, the steering committee has recommended sourcing future cheetahs from Northern Hemisphere countries like Kenya or Somalia to avoid similar biorhythmic issues. Despite these setbacks, the project has made progress, with 12 cubs surviving out of the 17 born in India, bringing the total number of cheetahs in Kuno to 25.
Read more: Ranthambore National Park: A complete guide to safari booking, best zones, and more
The project has faced criticism from some experts, who argue that keeping the cheetahs in enclosures for extended periods could cause stress and affect their ability to thrive in the wild. However, the upcoming release will be a crucial test of the cheetahs’ ability to adapt and survive in their new environment.
As these majestic animals prepare to reclaim their place in the wild, Project Cheetah continues to be a landmark initiative in global wildlife conservation, demonstrating both the challenges and the potential of reintroducing endangered species to their natural habitats.