Half of cheetahs translocated to India may die

The loss of 50% of the founder cheetah population which was translocated to India from Namibia and South Africa should be expected in the first year post-release.According to a status report on the cheetahs in the Kuno National Park in India, this is standard for wild cheetah reintroductions into unfenced systems.A total of 20 cheetahs from South Africa (12) and Namibia (eight) were translocated to the park in 2022, more than 70 years after the animals were declared extinct in India.Eight cheetahs - one Namibian adult and three of the four Namibian cubs - have since died.The other deaths were adult South African cheetahs.“Although a quarter of the founder population has been lost (excluding the three cubs), further mortality should be anticipated before year-end,” the report said.It added that further losses in year two post-release must also be anticipated.“The first litters with realistic prospects of survival to adulthood will likely be born in 2024.”AdaptingAccording to the report, based on previous reintroduction experiences in Africa, the India founder population will further decline to approximately five to seven cheetahs before population recovery is initiated.“Future births at Kuno will eventually compensate for these considerable losses, but cub survival in wild cheetah populations is low.”It explained that reintroduced female cheetahs must still adapt to the nature of the seasons in Asia, establishing the best birthing intervals through trial and error.For this reason, it should be anticipated that cheetah cub mortality will be high initially.The recent mortalities in Kuno - with extremely wet conditions causing infection and septicaemia - is an unforeseen development, and something that has not been observed during African reintroduction attempts, it added.

Half of cheetahs translocated to India may die

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Half of cheetahs translocated to India may die

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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