India is set to receive four cheetahs from Kenya later this year under a conservation programme to reintroduce the species after local extinction in the 1950s.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority approved the transfer following a March visit to the Banni grasslands in Gujarat. The cheetahs, consisting of two male-female pairs, will first undergo quarantine at Kuno National Park before moving to a 500-hectare facility in Kutch.
This site features strong chain-link fencing along its 9,830-metre boundary and is designed to replicate Kenyan savannah conditions. The animals will join cheetahs from Botswana as part of a breed-mixing effort under Project Cheetah.
Kenya is one of three African countries supporting the initiative, alongside Botswana and Namibia. Initial plans called for eight to ten cheetahs from Kenya by 2026, with up to 12 expected at the Banni centre within a year.
India currently hosts 48 cheetahs, including 28 cubs born in the country. Successful breeding at the facility could lead to releases into free-range areas in Kutch, as decided by the authority.