African Cheetahs from South Africa brought to India

African Cheetahs from South Africa brought to India

Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-III – Biodiversity; Environment

In News:

• Recently, Mysuru zoo has become the second Indian zoo to house the African cheetah.
• One male and two females from a cheetah conservation centre in South Africa under an animal-exchange programme were brought to India.
• It was the country’s first international animal exchange post-COVID-19.

Important value additions 

Cheetah

• It is the fastest land animal.
• The Southeast African cheetah is native to East and Southern Africa. 
• It lives mainly in the lowland areas and deserts of the Kalahari, the savannahs of Okavango Delta, and the grasslands of the Transvaal region in South Africa. 
• In Namibia, cheetahs are mostly found in farmlands.
• It is a vulnerable subspecies (IUCN status), due to poaching, habitat loss, and lack of prey.