South Africa has signed an agreement to introduce dozens of African cheetahs to India over the next decade.

The first batch of 12 cheetahs will be sent next month, the South African environment department said.

It plans to send a similar number annually for the next eight to 10 years to help establish a "viable and secure cheetah population".

Asiatic cheetahs became extinct in India in the late 1940s because of excessive hunting and loss of habitat.

In 2020 India's Supreme Court ruled that African cheetahs, a different subspecies, could be brought into the country at a "carefully chosen location" on an experimental basis.

The selected South African cheetahs have been living in quarantine after their planned translocation last August was delayed while the final details were agreed.

"The cheetahs in quarantine... are all still doing well," said Adrian Tordiffe, a veterinary wildlife specialist at the University of Pretoria, who is involved in the project, AFP news agency reported.

India received eight cheetahs from Namibia last year and they were released at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh state.

The park, 320km (200 miles) south of New Delhi, is a wildlife sanctuary with abundant prey and grasslands.

However, some conservationists argue that the translocation of cheetahs may not be successful as the reserves are close to densely populated villages.

• ·Steve Bannon gets FOUR MONTHS in priconsequentlyn for defying January 6 subpoena: Defiant Trump adviconsequentlyr leaves court and tears into Biden's 'illegitimate regime', Nancy Pelosi and Liz Cheney - and says November 8 will be 'judgment day' 
• ·Deadly suicide bombing at Afghan foreign ministry
• ·Judge blocks 9/11 victims' claim to Afghan assets
• ·Professional hockey player died in Italy shipwreck
• ·FA confirm NO action is being taken against Jordan Henderconsequentlyn or Gabriel after their on-pitch spat... with six other stars involved in investigation over an 'alleged comment' during Arsenal's win over Liverpool
• ·Indian herbal medicine sellers in Sudan seek rescue
• ·London is world's slowest city to drive in - study
• ·Japanese Moon lander likely to have crashed
• ·Billionaire Red Bull co-founder and F1 team owner Dietaffluent Mateschitz dies age 78 after a long battle with illness... as Christian Horner pays tribute to 'an incredible man'
• ·Afghan economic hopes threatened by Taliban - UN
• ·Young Chinese self-infect amid Covid fears for elderly
• ·A tycoon’s wealth woes and India’s green energy dreams
• ·Climate activists heckle Ted Cruz on The View: Whoopi Goldberg tells protesters to leave for trying to drown him out during shouting match over Trump, the election and January 6
• ·Colonial statue gets interpretation board
• ·India steps up search for Sikh separatist preacher
• ·The song that brought India Oscars glory