New Delhi: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, on Saturday, released nine cheetahs received from Botswana into quarantine enclosures at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
The cheetahs will undergo health monitoring and acclimatisation before their gradual release into the larger park landscape.
In a social media post on ‘X’, Yadav shared that the group includes six females and three males. He also highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Project Cheetah has achieved remarkable success, with India now home to 48 cheetahs, including 28 India-born cubs.
The cheetahs were airlifted from Gaborone to Gwalior by the Indian Air Force and then transported by helicopter to Kuno.
Yadav expressed his gratitude to the IAF for their precision and commitment in ensuring the animals’ safe journey.
Formal discussions between India and Botswana began in December 2024 to strengthen Project Cheetah, India’s flagship wildlife restoration programme. Yadav led the proposal in consultation with Boipuso Wynter Mmolotsi, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Botswana, according to an official statement.
Botswana agreed to the collaboration, acknowledging India’s comprehensive Action Plan for Cheetah Reintroduction. This partnership aims to boost global cheetah conservation and create a secure population outside Africa, enhancing the species’ long-term survival.
An Indian delegation visited Botswana in September 2025 to plan operational details and transport logistics and obtain regulatory clearances. After a scientific assessment, eight cheetahs were identified and transported under veterinary supervision from the Ghanzi region to Gaborone, a distance of roughly 700 kilometres.
During President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Botswana in November 2025, the cheetahs were formally handed over to India and placed in quarantine enclosures at Mokolodi Nature Reserve. Subsequent visits by Indian and Botswana delegations ensured that all quarantine and logistical arrangements met international wildlife standards.
