Karnataka spotless, may not get cheetahs

BENGALURU: With cheetahs from Namibia landing in India, the apathy of Karnataka Forest Department officials and experts might deprive the state of the big cats, with Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) having to wait longer for cheetahs in zoo as BBP officials and Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) are expecting a successful breeding in Mysuru zoo. At present, the zoo has a male and two females, and while Hyderabad has a male.

“There is shortage in zoos around the world , so getting them to BBP is difficult. It has been in the list of wild animals to be procured for very long. We are hoping that after cheetahs in Mysuru zoo breed, BBP will be able to get them,” a ZAK official said.

“In India, only Mysuru zoo has seen successful breeding, but they have died later. The present three were brought in 2019-20,” said Mysuru zoo officials. Foresters and experts explained that the species brought to the Kuno National Park are not the Asiatic which thrive in the Indian subcontinent. “Karnataka forests, including grasslands and other patches, have also changed over the years.

Human and wildlife population in and around the areas have changed, and introduction of a new species will not be possible. We cannot be experimenting, and should wait and see what happens to the big cats in Kuno,” a senior forest department official said. Experts are also of the same opinion, and stated that regions here are now home to lions, tigers and leopards, and this new experiment could be detrimental.