Table of Contents
What’s happening?
- The deals have been inked. Starting in August, four male and four female African cheetahs will be imported from Namibia, and another 12 from South Africa,
- For soft release in a compartmentalised enclosure ready at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh to establish the cheetah into its “historical range”.
- Once cheetahs arrive in Kuno, the plan is to keep male coalitions (groups) and individual females in separate but adjoining compartments “so that they are able to know each other” before release.
- The enclosure will be stocked with natural prey to ensure that the animals get accustomed to hunting Indian prey species before their release.
- If all goes well, the population should reach its limit of 21 within Kuno in about 15 years.
- During this period, a few other smaller cheetah reserves will be created in Rajasthan and elsewhere in MP.
- For at least five years and up to 10 years, fresh supply of cheetahs will continue from Africa.
- Once the greater Kuno landscape is secured and restored, the largest population is projected to go up to 36 cheetahs in 30-40 years.
About tiger
- The tiger is the largest cat species, with several subspecies, including the Bengal and Siberian.
- The sizes of tigers vary significantly between different populations.
- Tigers are most recognizable by their vertical black stripes on a background of orange.
- The stripe pattern is actually on the animal’s skin, and it is unique to each tiger (much like fingerprints on humans).
- Tigers can swim well. They also generally hunt alone.
- Tigers in the wild can be found in many different locations — though they are mainly spread across Southeast Asia, China, and India.
About Cheetah
- The cheetah is a large-sized feline found in Africa and southwestern Asia and is the fastest land animal in the world.
- They can reach speeds of around 72mph in short bursts but cannot run long distances.
- Cheetahs are slender in build with a narrow waist, deep chest, and a proportionally small head.
- Their fur is short and coarse and has a pattern of evenly spaced black spots.
- They have black stripes on their faces, which run from the inner corners of their eyes down to the corners of the mouth.
- These dark areas help keep the sun out of their eyes to help them with their vision for hunting.
- Cheetahs usually hunt during the day when lions are not very active.
- Their success rate is good, with a kill being made for every other attempt.
About leopard
- The leopard is the smallest of the four big cats, among the tigers, lions, and jaguars.
- Leopards are found mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, but they also exist in South Asia (India, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia).
- Leopards have a comparatively long body and short legs, with a large skull and powerful jaw.
- They look similar to the jaguar. However, they are smaller and lighter, and the fur patterning is slightly different.
- Leopards are very adaptable; they can exist in a range of different habitats.
- They can hunt and eat many different animals, run very fast, are very stealthy hunters, and are excellent tree climbers.
Q) Which of the following is true about Tiger?
- They are the only wild cats that swim
- They are the only wild cats with stripes & no spots
- They are the smallest of the big cats
- All of the above