Botswana hands over eight cheetahs to India during President Murmu’s visit

Gaborone : In a significant boost to India’s ongoing cheetah conservation programme, Botswana formally handed over eight cheetahs to India on Thursday. The symbolic transfer took place during President Droupadi Murmu’s three-day state visit to the southern African nation.

The cheetahs were officially handed over to President Murmu by Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve, marking the final day of her tour. The ceremony highlighted deepening wildlife conservation cooperation between the two countries.

President Murmu, accompanied by President Boko, visited the protected reserve in a safari vehicle where officials from both nations briefed her on the relocation procedures, health status, and acclimatization plans for the animals. The group of eight includes adult cheetahs as well as cubs, all currently being kept in separate enclosures pending their transfer.

Officials said the cheetahs will be moved to India within the next few weeks after completing mandatory health checks and quarantine protocols. This consignment represents the second major international relocation of cheetahs to India after the 2022 translocation from Namibia, part of India’s effort to reintroduce the species that went extinct in the country in 1952.

Expressing gratitude, President Murmu thanked Botswana for its generosity and partnership. “We assure you that these cheetahs will be well cared for. This gesture strengthens our shared commitment to wildlife conservation,” she said.

President Boko said the handover reflects Botswana’s willingness to support global conservation efforts. “This initiative will contribute meaningfully to increasing the cheetah population in India,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration to protect endangered species.

Wildlife authorities from both countries are coordinating the logistics, including acclimatization sites, monitoring arrangements, and long-term conservation strategies to ensure successful integration in India’s protected habitats.

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