Twenty-five cheetahs in India’s Kuno National Park are staying cool amidst a deadly heatwave by enjoying water sprinklers to beat the scorching temperatures.
The cheetahs, brought from South Africa and Namibia in September 2022, are part of a reintroduction plan for the species in India, currently residing in soft enclosures within the protected Kuno forest in Madhya Pradesh.
To combat the extreme heat exceeding 50C, park authorities have set up a 13km water pipeline within the enclosures to provide relief for the big cats, sourced from the nearby Kuno river.
Last year, three cheetahs succumbed to heat stress, prompting proactive cooling measures this summer to prevent further casualties. Despite controversy and challenges, the project aims to revive a species that went extinct in India in 1952.
With less than 7,000 adult cheetahs left in the wild and occupying less than 9% of their original range, the conservation efforts in Kuno National Park are crucial for the survival of the cheetah population.
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