African Cheetahs make their first kill on Indian soil within a day of being released into larger enclosure

Two male African cheetahs - part of the group brought to India from Namibia - made their first kill within a day of being released into a larger enclosure at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park. The cheetahs named Freddie and Elton killed a spotted deer (Cheetal) sometime between late Sunday and early Monday, the park officials said.

Both Freddie and Elton were being held in a smaller enclosure since they arrived from Africa. It was in line with the quarantine rule that says wild animals must be quarantined in a small enclosure for a month before and after being shifted to a different country. The protocol is to prevent the spread of any infection.

On Saturday, they were released from quarantine into a 98-acre enclosure and they made the first kill within 24 hours, which means they are blending well into the new environment.

The officials have said that the other six cheetahs will be released shortly and that they are being kept in separate enclosures and are being fed buffalo meat.

There are five female cheetahs aged between two and five years. The male cheetahs are aged between 4.5 years and 5.5 years. The cheetahs were selected based on an assessment of health, wild disposition, hunting skills, and ability to contribute genetics that will result in a strong founder population.

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