BJP MP raises concerns over India's cheetah import plan

New Delhi, NT Bureau: With the central government revealing plans to import more cheetahs from South Africa, BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Saturday said India should focus on conserving its own endangered species and habitats.

"Importing cheetahs from Africa and allowing nine of them to die in a foreign land is not just cruelty; it's an appalling display of negligence," he wrote on X.

In an interview with a news agency, Project Cheetah head SP Yadav said the next batch of cheetahs would be imported from South Africa and introduced into Madhya Pradesh's Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is expected to be ready to welcome the spotted felines by the end of the year. Gandhi said, "We should focus on conserving our own endangered species and habitats rather than contributing to the suffering of these magnificent creatures. This reckless pursuit of exotic animals must end immediately."