Botswana gave India a pair of big‑cat ambassadors last week as part of the country’s growing partnership with India on wildlife protection. Eight cheetahs were handed over to India during a ceremony at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve in Gaborone, where President Droupadi Murmu of India and Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko watched the animals arrive at a quarantine center.
The hand‑over marks the first big step in Project Cheetah, India’s high‑profile plan to bring cheetahs back to the subcontinent after the species disappeared from India in the mid‑1900s. The program began on 17 September 2022 and is the first major trans‑continental move of a large carnivore in the world. India’s hope is to release the lions‑like cats into suitable grasslands and give them a new home.
Botswana is home to roughly 1,700 cheetahs, about one‑quarter of the world’s remaining wild population. The country’s central location helps the African cheetah population stay connected across the region. Cheetah Conservation Botswana says that the new shipment will help strengthen global conservation efforts and add a new partnership link with India.
The donation was not just about big cats. During the same visit, Botswana’s Vice President Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe and Minister Phenyo Butale met President Murmu in Gaborone. They praised India’s development progress and talked about deepening ties in trade, education, health, digital tech, agriculture, and renewable energy. The two leaders also highlighted cooperation in the diamond sector and new opportunities in defence and digital connectivity.
President Murmu spoke to the Indian community in Botswana and reminded them that the friendship between the two countries rests on trust, respect, and shared democratic values. She noted that about 10,000 Indians live in Botswana today, contributing in fields from education to business. Murmu praised their hard work, honesty and social service. “You are living bridges of friendship,” she said, adding that many Indians in Botswana help organize charitable events, health camps, and school support programs.
Botswana’s donation of the eight cheetahs, together with the talks in Gaborone, shows how wildlife conservation can bring two nations closer. The joint effort under Project Cheetah not only helps endangered animals but also strengthens trade, cultural ties, and mutual respect between India and Botswana.
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