Two years of Project Cheetah: India awaits Kenya's approval for new batch

The MoU process to bring a new batch of cheetahs from Kenya is in progress, with India having finalised its part and awaiting approval from the African country, a senior official has said. Cheetahs for the breeding centre being built in Gujarat's Bunni grasslands will also be brought from Kenya, SP Yadav, the director general of the International Big Cat Alliance, told PTI editors during a recent interaction here. As part of the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the big cats, 20 cheetahs have been brought to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh so far -- eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023. Since they arrived in India, eight adult cheetahs -- three females and five males -- have died. Seventeen cubs have been born in India, with 12 surviving, bringing the total number of cheetahs, including cubs, in Kuno to 24. Currently, all are in enclosures. The grand initiative completes two years on September 17. The 'Action Plan for .