Our reserve has a female cheetah who is part of our research program and which we offer a conservation activity the teaches how we track her on foot. With great excitement she was skilled in raising three cubs to sub-adults. That right, Mapesu Reserve has been fortunate to enjoy the company of a cheetah coalition of two brothers and one sister for the last year and half. These three musketeers are exceptional hunters when working together. When spotted, they are all in great condition and usually resting after a good meal… a meal that even included a young zebra recently, 100 meters from the gate of our Wilderness Camp.

Cheetahs are solitary animals, and the coalition will be broken up to minimize the risk of interbreeding. The two males will be transported to a different reserve to add to the genetic diversity of the reserve’s bloodline. While the female has an exciting and interesting journey awaiting in India.
After becoming extinct in 1952, cheetahs are all set to return to India as the central government launched an action plan under which 50 of these big cats will be introduced in the next five years and our young female will be part of these 50 cheetahs being relocated.

On June 23^rd, in partnership with Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) our female cheetah was transported to a holding facility in preparation for the move to Kuno-Palpur National Park (KNP) in India on the 7th of August. We wish her and the program much success!

Read more:

• Cheetahs to prowl India for first time in 70 years – BBC News
• India set to be home of cheetahs after 70 years: Kuno-Palpur National Park ready to welcome nearly 15 of them
• India’s plan to reintroduce Cheetah follows success in other such projects
• 50 Cheetahs to be introduced in India in next 5 years: Environment Minister