10 things to know about the 8 Namibian cheetahs flying to India on PM Modi's birthday

Five female and three male cheetahs are in the group being transported to India. All of them are below 5.5 years of age.

Eight Namibian cheetahs will be brought to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park and released into their new abode by PM Modi on September 17 which is also his birthday. A Boeing 747-400 aircraft will be flying them from Namibia's capital Windhoek. They will be kept inside cages in the main cabin. Vets will have full access to them during the flight. There will be no break for refuelling and they will not be given any food so that they don't feel nauseous. On Saturday morning, they will reach Jaipur. From Jaipur, they will be taken to Kuno National Park in helicopters. All you need to know about the cheetah relocation project, the species

An India-bound African cheetah undergoes health examination. (PTI)

Here is everything you need to know about these cheetahs

1. The group of eight cheetahs comprises 5 females and 3 males.

2. The female cheetahs are aged between 2 and 5 years and the male cheetahs are aged between 4.5 years and 5.5 years.

3. The 3 male cheetahs include two brothers who have been living in the reserve of the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia since July 2021.

74 years after last cheetah died, India gets ready to receive eight from Namibia

4. The other male cheetah was born in 2018 at another reserve.

5. One of the female cheetahs was found at a waterhole near Gobabis in southeastern Namibia. They were malnourished at the time and was brought to the reserve of the Cheetah Conservation Fund in 2020. It was believed that their mother died in a wildfire a few weeks before they were found.

6. The second female cheetah was captured on a farm neighbouring the CCF's reserve.

7. The third female cheetah was born at Erindi Private Game Reserve in April 2020. Her mother was in the CCF's rehabilitation programme and was let to return to the wild more than two years ago.

8. The fourth was found on a farm in 2017 in a malnourished condition.

9. The fifth female cheetah was found in 2019. The 4th and the 5th are 'best friends' and they are always found together.

10. They will be kept in quarantine closure for 30 days and then they will be released in a 6 sqkm predator-proof facility.

(With agency inputs)