The cheetah is the fastest animal on land. Wild cheetah populations in Africa are under threat due to conflict with humans, loss of their habitat and associated prey, hunting and the trafficking from Africa to feed illegal demand for exotic pets in the Middle East.

THE PROPOSED EXPORT OF CHEETAH FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO INDIA

On the 16th of February 2023 environmental lawyers, Cullinan and Associates, acting on behalf of the EMS Foundation sent an urgent communication to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy. The communication raised concern about the proposed project to remove one hundred and twenty wild cheetah over a ten year period from South Africa and export them to India. The first twelve cheetah are destined to leave South Africa tomorrow, on Friday 17th of February 2023.

READ THE LETTER FROM CULLINAN AND ASSOCIATES:

The EMS Foundation concerns relate to the fact that the decision to relocate 12 cheetahs tomorrow and a further twelve cheetah every year for ten years has not been based on updated non-detriment findings and that the scientific information upon which this project was based is not sufficiently robust in their opinion.

The EMS Foundation has requested that the project be halted until the risk, especially the risks to survival of the cheetah in South Africa can be properly established and until proper public comment has been obtained.

Image Credit: EMS Foundation

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