Namibia: African cheetahs get medically examined before arrival at MP’s Kuno National Park

Cheetahs from Namibia will soon land on the Indian sub-continent and will be back home after they went extinct in the country in 1952. Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park is ready to receive its first batch of the long-awaited animals. These fastest-running creatures are currently going through a thorough wellness examination by an international team of experts from the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a research institution in Namibia dedicated to saving the cheetahs in the wild.

The Indian Embassy in Windhoek thanked Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism for organising the medical check-up to make sure that the cheetahs are in excellent health, reported news agency ANI. 

In an effort to prepare the African cheetahs to come back to India, a team led by renowned specialist Dr Laurie Marker is examining the creatures to certify them medically fit. The check-up was done in the presence of Indian High Commissioner in Namibia Prashant Agrawal. The news comes amid preparations in Kuno National Park to ensure the survival of African cheetahs. 

Tweeting about the same, the High Commission of India in Windhoek wrote, “Independence Day exclusive: Cheetahs, potential candidates for transfer to Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh in due course, undergo a thorough first health exam by an international team of experts from Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) led by renowned specialist Dr Laurie Marker. High Commissioner Prashant Agrawal was present. We thank the Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MEFT).”

Preparations in Kuno National Park

According to ANI, the cheetahs will be housed in a specially constructed 500-hectare (5 square kilometres) enclosure for the first two to three months and once they acclimatise to the environment, they will be released into the open. Other than this, other small animals are also being introduced into the national park in sufficient numbers so that the cheetahs can hunt for food.

“Only Kuno has been chosen for the first phase of the plan to introduce cheetahs to India, and the entire forest department is thrilled about this. To settle the cheetahs here, all last stage preparations are currently being made,” Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Kuno Wildlife Circle, Prakash Kumar Verma said.