Project Cheetah Completes 1 Year: Everything You Need To Know

India’s Ambitious ‘Project Cheetah’ Completed One Year After The First Batch Of Eight Namibian Cheetahs Was Released In Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park By Prime Minister Narendra Modi On His...

Ruby Thakur
September 18, 2023
394

Project Cheetah Completes 1 Year: Everything You Need To Know

Why In News

India’s Ambitious ‘Project Cheetah’ Completed One Year After The First Batch Of Eight Namibian Cheetahs Was Released In Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (Knp) By Prime Minister Narendra Modi On His Birthday On September 17, 2022.
The Cheetah’s Remarkable Journey In The First Year Of Their Reintroduction In India Has Been Marked By Both Setbacks And Successes, And The Project Is On Track, According To The Namibia-Based Cheetah Conservation Fund.

Initiated By

The Project Is Implemented By The NTCA In Collaboration With The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Institute Of India (Wii), And Cheetah Experts From Namibia And South Africa.

Cheetah Reintroduction Project In India

The Introduction Of Cheetahs In India Is Being Done Under Project Cheetah, Which Is The World’s First Intercontinental Large Wild Carnivore Translocation Project.
The Cheetah Reintroduction Project In India Formally Commenced On September 17, 2022, With The Objective Of Restoring The Population Of Cheetahs, Which Were Declared Extinct In The Country In 1952.

The Project Involves The Translocation Of Cheetahs From South Africa And Namibia To Kuno National Park In Madhya Pradesh.
20 Radio-Collared Cheetahs Were Translocated From South Africa (12 Cheetahs) And Namibia (8 Cheetahs) To Kuno National Park.
A Collar With An Attached Radio Transmitter That Is Put On An Animal So That Its Movements In Its Natural Habitat Can Be Remotely Monitored.
Radio-Collaring Is A Valuable Tool In Ecological Research For Tracking Animal Movements And Behaviour To Aid Conservation Efforts.

Mortalities

Total 9 Cheetah’s Died Six Of These Adult Cheetahs & 3 CubsHave Died Due To Various Reasons. In May, Three Of The Four Cubs Born To A Female Namibian Cheetah Succumbed To Extreme Heat. The Remaining Cub Is Being Raised Under Human Care For Future Wilding.
Preliminary Analysis By The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Indicates That The Deaths Were Natural And Not Related To Other Factors Like Radio Collars.

Challenges

One Of The Biggest Challenges Faced In The First Year Of Managing Cheetahs In India Was The Unexpected Development Of Winter Coats By Some Cheetahs During The Indian Summer And Monsoon, In Anticipation Of The African Winter (June To September).
The Winter Coat, Combined With High Humidity And Temperatures, Caused Itching, Prompting The Animals To Scratch Their Necks Against Tree Trunks Or On The Ground. This Led To Bruises And Exposed Skin, Where Flies Laid Their Eggs, Resulting In In Maggot Infestations And, Ultimately, Bacterial Infections And Septicemia, Leading To Death.
No Cheetah In Kuno National Park Died Due To Radio Collars.

Second Year To Focus On

Being A Long Term Project, It Is Planned To Bring 12-14 Cheetahs From South Africa/Namibia/ Other African Countries, Annually For The Next 5 Years.
Other Alternative Sites For Cheetah Introductions Are Being Prepared At Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary And Also At Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Conservation Breeding Of Cheetah Centre, Cheetah Research Centre, Interpretation Centre, Cheetah Management Training Centre And Cheetah Safari Are Being Planned.

Cheetah Conservation Fund

The Cheetah’s Remarkable Journey In The First Year Of Their Reintroduction In India Has Been Marked By Both Setbacks And Successes, And The Project Is On Track, According To The Namibia-Based Cheetah Conservation Fund.
The CCF Has Closely Assisted Indian Authorities In Re-Introducing Cheetahs In India. CCF Founder Laurie Marker Has Been Instrumental In Drafting Plans For The Introduction And Has Travelled To India Several Times Since 2009.

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Ruby Thakur

General Studies Lecturer SSBCrackExams, BSc In PCM, Trained Students For State Services Exams. Expertise in Geography ,Polity & Current Affairs. Love Travelling.