INDIA has rejected three of the cheetahs translocated from Namibia final month.

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This comes after Namibia agreed to translocate eight cheetahs to India, following the signing of an settlement by the 2 nations on wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity utilisation.

Cheetahs have been formally declared extinct in India in 1952.

In accordance with The Instances of India on Friday, the cheetahs have been to be translocated to India’s Kuno Nationwide Park in Madhya Pradesh.

The Instances of India reported that India rejected the cheetahs as a result of they have been captive-bred and couldn’t hunt.

The newspaper reported that in a latest go to to Namibia by the dean of the Wildlife Institute of India, Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala, it was discovered that the three might be changed by wild-caught cheetahs.

Contacted for a remark, Ministry of Atmosphere, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda mentioned the ministry is conscious of the three rejected cheetahs.

“We deny such allegations and claims given by India. The cheetahs are usually not captive animals. They have been captured once they have been younger and have been uncovered to looking,” Muyunda mentioned.

“It’s so unlucky that the three have been rejected, however India has curiosity within the 5 others. We won’t give them cheetahs anymore to interchange the three rejected ones, as we don’t wish to compromise on our cheetah inhabitants,” Muyunda mentioned.

The three cheetahs might be returned to Namibia, and might be reintroduced to the wild, though they are going to require some monitoring.

“As a authorities, we weren’t concerned within the collection of these cheetahs, they have been chosen by the Cheetah Conservation Fund of Namibia at Otjiwarongo,” he mentioned.

The fund assured the ministry that the cheetahs weren’t captive, he mentioned.

“Those we gave apparently can not hunt for themselves however can solely be fed, they usually need those that may hunt for themselves,” Muyunda mentioned.