Cheetah Reintroduction Project
The Extinction of Cheetahs in India: A Historical Overview
Cheetahs were once on a large scale in India, unusually in the northern and central regions. These stunning animals were admired for their grace and speed, and royal households even tamed them for hunting purposes. However, the growing population, deforestation, and indiscriminate hunting—especially by the elite and British colonial officials—led to a sharp decline in their numbers. By the 1940s, their population had drastically dwindled, and the last known cheetah was shot in 1947. Five years later, India officially declared the species extinct within its borders.
The Return of Cheetahs: A Milestone in Indian Conservation
The second anniversary of the eight African cheetahs’ entrance at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, from Namibia, occurred on September 17, 2024. In February 2023, twelve South African cheetahs joined the Namibian pack. The much-heralded arrival of these felines was meant to mark the beginning of a new age in Indian conservation—the restoration and preservation of the Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs), which include savannahs, grasslands, and scrub forests that are home to several endangered species of plants and animals.
The 12 adult cheetahs that remain from the initial 20 imported from Africa, as well as 12 of the 17 cubs born in India, are being kept in captivity in enclosures at Kuno. There’s not a single cheetah roaming free in the wild.
Although it has been spoken of for decades, the idea of getting back cheetahs to India has gained pace in recent years. As part of India’s larger aims for wildlife conservation, the government worked with foreign wildlife organizations to try and bring back the species. The goal of the Cheetah Reintroduction Project was to take over the extinct top predator and revive the ecological balance in India. Also, cheetahs are key to maintaining healthy ecosystems and managing prey populations.
The Journey of African Cheetahs to Kuno National Park
8 cheetahs—five males and three females—were translocated from Namibia to Kuno National Park in September 2022, showing a historic feat. This was India’s first bid at reintroducing wild cheetahs. The Indian government and the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a Namibia-based nonprofit dedicated to cheetah conservation, got together to make this translocation possible. In February 2023, 12 South African cheetahs were subsequently relocated and released in Kuno National Park.
Project Cheetah: Goals and Challenges of Reintroducing Cheetahs
An idea to clone Asian cheetahs from Iran for reintroduction in India was put out by scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (Hyderabad) in the early 2000s, but Iran rejected it. The Wildlife Trust of India and the Wildlife Institute of India were tasked by the Minister of Environment and Forests in September 2009 to inspect the chance of bringing African cheetahs into India.
By dint of their high density of prey, Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary were proposed as cheetah reintroduction sites. But as a consequence of a political feud and worries over bringing in a non-native species, the Supreme Court of India put a stop to the reintroduction plans in May 2012. The plan’s critics claimed that it was “not a case of intentional movement of an organism into a part of its native range”.
The Supreme Court gave the central government permission on January 28, 2020, to experimentally introduce cheetahs to a suitable environment in India to test if they can adapt. A memorandum of understanding was signed by Namibia and India in 2020 as part of Project Cheetah. The briefing came in July 2022 that eight cheetahs will be moved from Namibia to India in August. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the eight cheetahs into Kuno on September 18, 2022. Eight mature cheetahs, five male, and three female, have passed away since coming to India. There are now 24 cheetahs in Kuno, including cubs, after 17 cubs were born in India, 12 of which survived.
Challenges of Coexistence: Cheetahs and Other Predators in Kuno
At Kuno National Park, a wildlife site 320 kilometers south of New Delhi chosen for its plenty of prey and meadows, Prime Minister Narendra Modi oversaw the release. According to evaluations by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Wildlife Trust of India, the climatic conditions and vegetation of Kuno National Park make it a good home for cheetahs. The national park has a dry savanna forest in addition to a riverine forest, thus cheetahs accustomed to the African savanna should have no problem acclimating to Kuno.
One of the few wildlife areas in the nation without any human habitation in the area or close by is Kuno National Park. This was done between 1998 and 2003 when villagers inside the former sanctuary were moved to create space for a project that was likely to extend the habitat of the Asiatic Lion beyond Gujarat’s Gir forest, but it was never carried out. With enough land available to affirm coexistence, it also had the potential to provide a habitat to other predators.
There are a lot of leopards in the park, along with other predators like sloth bears and Indian wolves, which has led to worries about territorial conflicts between them and cheetahs. Yet, it’s thought that if there is a sufficient supply of prey, they may live in harmony. In line with the government estimates, the national park can brace up to 21 cheetahs at present and up to 36 if required steps are taken and the prey base is preserved. The cheetahs have been introduced in a phased manner, and they are being closely monitored by wildlife experts. Radio collars have been fitted to each cheetah to track their movements and health.
Sustaining the Cheetah Population: A Long-Term Vision for India
The cheetah reintroduction in Kuno National Park is a long-term project, to establish a self-sustaining population of cheetahs in India. While the initial results have been encouraging, sustained efforts will be required to ensure the survival and growth of the cheetah population. The government, along with wildlife organizations, is committed to monitoring the cheetahs and addressing challenges as they arise.
Cheetah Reintroduction Project: Impact on Conservation Tourism
In the coming years, more cheetahs are expected to be introduced to diversify the gene pool and ensure a stable population. Additionally, efforts are being made to develop Kuno National Park as a model for conservation-based tourism, which will not only raise awareness about cheetah conservation but also contribute to the local economy.
Future Prospects: Expanding Cheetah Habitats in India
The internationally hailed Project Cheetah Reintroduction, which looks ahead with revived hope amid many hurdles, marked the second year of its existence with some promising births, fewer but tragic losses, increased good cheer, and some criticism. Authorities are working quickly to bring in a fresh group of African cheetahs to the Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary, which will be their second home in India, and to set up a conservation breeding center in Gujarat’s Banni grasslands as a massive initiative marked its second anniversary on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.