Namibia refuses cheetah exchange
The High Commission of India to Namibia has labelled media reports that India rejected three cheetahs from Namibia because they were bred in captivity as erroneous and non-factual.
Various publications reported that the three cheetahs that are part of a translocation programme were rejected and would be replaced by wild cheetahs.
According to reports, introducing cheetahs who are unable to hunt on their own to a forest with a large leopard population is likely to make their survival in the wild difficult.
A press release issued by the High Commission described the reports as twisted and “taken out of context”.
However, when contacted for clarity on what facts exactly are being disputed, head of chancery Mohammad Afsar declined to comment.
“The press release is clear,” he said.
‘We’re not exchanging them’
India and Namibia signed an agreement last month for the reintroduction of cheetahs into that country, with the first batch of eight expected to arrive from Namibia this month.
India has been working to relocate the animals since 2020, when its supreme court announced that African cheetahs could be introduced in a "carefully chosen location" on an experimental basis.
In the past, India had Asiatic cheetahs, but the species was officially declared extinct by 1952.
Environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda confirmed that India rejected three of the eight cheetahs from Namibia because they thought they were captive-bred.
He, however, explained that they are juvenile wild cheetahs, but India preferred three cheetahs that just arrived at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).
He also pointed out that the cheetahs were selected by the CCF, which was the ministry’s first point of contact regarding the programme, which assured that the cheetahs are – in fact – wild.
Muyunda added that the ministry refused to exchange the juvenile cheetahs with the CCF ones, because it “also has a responsibility to look after its cheetah population”.
He could not confirm whether India would be taking all eight cheetahs or just five.
“The three they did not want are still on offer, but we are not exchanging them [for other animals].”
Norms and procedures
Meanwhile, the High Commission of India to Namibia said it and concerned Indian authorities are in regular contact with Namibian stakeholders to implement this important project, keeping relevant scientific aspects in mind as per the requisite norms and procedures.
The cheetah is the only large carnivore to have gone extinct in India. That country has, since then, committed to stringent laws against poaching and hunting and also undertaken biodiversity conservation efforts.
The Kuno Palpur National Park in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, has been tentatively earmarked for the translocation of 12 to 15 cheetahs. Located 125 kilometres from Gwalior airport, the 344-square kilometre national park was recommended as one of three potential sites for the cheetah project in 1992.
Various publications reported that the three cheetahs that are part of a translocation programme were rejected and would be replaced by wild cheetahs.
According to reports, introducing cheetahs who are unable to hunt on their own to a forest with a large leopard population is likely to make their survival in the wild difficult.
A press release issued by the High Commission described the reports as twisted and “taken out of context”.
However, when contacted for clarity on what facts exactly are being disputed, head of chancery Mohammad Afsar declined to comment.
“The press release is clear,” he said.
‘We’re not exchanging them’
India and Namibia signed an agreement last month for the reintroduction of cheetahs into that country, with the first batch of eight expected to arrive from Namibia this month.
India has been working to relocate the animals since 2020, when its supreme court announced that African cheetahs could be introduced in a "carefully chosen location" on an experimental basis.
In the past, India had Asiatic cheetahs, but the species was officially declared extinct by 1952.
Environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda confirmed that India rejected three of the eight cheetahs from Namibia because they thought they were captive-bred.
He, however, explained that they are juvenile wild cheetahs, but India preferred three cheetahs that just arrived at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).
He also pointed out that the cheetahs were selected by the CCF, which was the ministry’s first point of contact regarding the programme, which assured that the cheetahs are – in fact – wild.
Muyunda added that the ministry refused to exchange the juvenile cheetahs with the CCF ones, because it “also has a responsibility to look after its cheetah population”.
He could not confirm whether India would be taking all eight cheetahs or just five.
“The three they did not want are still on offer, but we are not exchanging them [for other animals].”
Norms and procedures
Meanwhile, the High Commission of India to Namibia said it and concerned Indian authorities are in regular contact with Namibian stakeholders to implement this important project, keeping relevant scientific aspects in mind as per the requisite norms and procedures.
The cheetah is the only large carnivore to have gone extinct in India. That country has, since then, committed to stringent laws against poaching and hunting and also undertaken biodiversity conservation efforts.
The Kuno Palpur National Park in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, has been tentatively earmarked for the translocation of 12 to 15 cheetahs. Located 125 kilometres from Gwalior airport, the 344-square kilometre national park was recommended as one of three potential sites for the cheetah project in 1992.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article