Two of 12 cheetahs to be flown from South Africa to India in an ambitious transnational relocation project were darted early on Friday at Rooiberg veterinary facility in Limpopo. 

Nine come from Limpopo and three from KwaZulu-Natal. Five are females. Conservationists hope they will breed and boost the global wild cheetah population and their genetic diversity. 

Rooiberg vets examined and vaccinated the first pair before loading them — with eyes  protected by a soft mask — into narrow, airy crates for transportation to their new home in central India, where they have been extinct for more than 70 years. 

“We are expanding the range of the species to increase biodiversity,” said Flora Mokgohloa, deputy director-general of the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment, of the historic initiative. 

“This is a prime species that South Africa can contribute to India to enhance its conservation efforts.”

South Africa has donated cheetahs, and other species such as rhinos, to fellow African countries but this is the first time the big cats will be flown to another continent. South Africa and India signed a memorandum of understanding in January. 

Vincent van der Merwe, manager of the Cheetah Metapopulation Initiative, said on Friday: “South Africa has a surplus of wild cheetah, which has the only growing wild cheetah population worldwide.” 

India is excited about this project, said a top official on Friday, who had flown to the reserve to observe the cheetahs being prepared for the trip at OR Tambo International Airport from where the Indian air force will fly them to their new home. 

Dr Amit Mallick, inspector-general of the National Tiger Conservation Authority in India, said: “This project is very important and prestigious to us. This is the only mega-carnivore we have lost in India since 1947.” 

Namibia recently donated eight cheetahs to India, where they are yet to be released into the wild after adapting to their new home. 

TimesLIVE