Bengaluru: India’s cheetah conservation narrative received a shot in the arm Saturday as Karnataka joined the national movement to revive the population of cheetahs, once extinct in the country. A total of four cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) arrived at Bannerghatta in the early hours of Saturday from South Africa as part of an approved animal exchange programme, marking the beginning of a fresh conservation initiative in Bengaluru. The two pairs — comprising two males and two females — from Induna Primate and Parrot Park in South Africa were received at the cargo terminal of Kempegowda International Airport by forest minister Eshwar Khandre, along with Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) officials, led by its member secretary Sunil Panwar.Khandre said, “Once, cheetahs in Karnataka were locally known as ‘Sivangi’. But unfortunately, they vanished because of excessive hunting and habitat degradation over the years. Bringing them back and assisting in their adaptation to our ecosystem is indeed a significant feat. Their presence in Bengaluru will offer visitors a rare opportunity to see a species that had long disappeared from India but is slowly reclaiming a place in our conservation landscape.”The successful import followed extensive health screening and an initial quarantine in South Africa, along with regulatory clearances under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and approvals from animal quarantine authorities in India.The minister said all four cheetahs will be moved to specially prepared enclosures for public viewing at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) after the mandatory 30-day quarantine period. He instructed BBP veterinarians and forest officials to ensure stringent quarantine and health monitoring, and prescribed dietary protocols during the acclimatisation period.ZAK officials said the move complements India’s wider efforts by promoting public awareness, supporting scientific research and contributing to the genetic management of captive populations. “The park is already known for housing a wide range of native and exotic species, and the addition of cheetahs enhances its profile as a major zoological institution and strengthens its role in ex-situ conservation at the national level,” said a ZAK official.
