Cheetahs that went extinct in India back in 1952 are now set to make a come back to the country. The Centre has launched an action plan under which 50 cheetahs will be introduced in India in the next five years.
As a part of an ambitious project to reintroduce the extinct spotted cat species in the country, the first batch of 12 cheetahs from South Africa is expected to reach India in October this year, said officials as quoted by news agency PTI.
The wildlife experts team from South Africa visited India to inspect the holding facility where the cheetahs will be released
For the first time, the animals are being sent to India where its population has become extinct in the early 1950s, Fraser said, adding that the last confirmed was seen in 1953.
During the flight to India, the cheetahs will be fully awake in their transport crates and would be tranquilized to keep them calm.
After reaching India, the cheetahs would be released from their transport crates into a holding facility for the Indian team to monitor their health and to ensure that they are hunting again before releasing them into the reserve which will be their final destination.
