Botswana cheetahs shift from quarantine to soft-release

Bhopal: A batch of nine cheetahs — six females and three males — brought from Botswana to Kuno National Park on Feb 28, has completed the mandatory quarantine period, with forest authorities initiating the next phase of their acclimatisation.According to officials associated with the Cheetah Project, six of the nine animals, four females and two males, have now been shifted from quarantine bomas to soft-release enclosures. The remaining three cheetahs are in the process of being moved and will soon join the others in the soft-release phase.Officials said the transition marks a key step in the gradual introduction of the Botswana-origin cheetahs into the wild."All nine cheetahs are healthy and adapting well to their environment," an official statement issued by the APCCF and field director of the Cheetah Project said.Soft-release bomas (SRBs) are designed to allow cheetahs to acclimatise to local conditions while still being monitored, before they are eventually released into the open forest.Meanwhile, sources said the long-term plan for the Botswana cohort includes their possible translocation to other identified habitats in Madhya Pradesh, including Rani Durgavati Tiger Reserve and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.The move will be decided based on recommendations of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee.