Cheetah Reintroduction

The cheetah reintroduction is a landmark initiative taken by the government of India in which eight African cheetahs were brought to India from Namibia as a part of Project Cheetah. The cheetah is a large carnivorous species that became utterly extinct in India almost seventy years ago, mainly due to sport hunting, poaching, and loss of natural habitat. The reintroduction of the cheetah is an attempt to re-establish a wild population of the extinct species in a location where it used to occur. It is a form of reinforcing the conservation of existing species outside their indigenous range of habitats. 

Cheetahs being reintroduced in India are African cheetahs flown in on a particular cargo flight from Namibia to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and then flown by two Indian Air Force choppers to Palpur, near Kuno National Park. This reintroduction project is essential in diversifying Indian wildlife, especially the cheetah habitat.

Relocation of Cheetahs in India:

The habitats for Cheetahs are mainly open plains with predominant grasslands, scrubs, and open forest systems. The semi-arid and warm climate is favourable for this species. The Kuno National park consists of vast grasslands, open forest patches, and hills, an ideal habitat for cheetahs. The eight cheetahs (three males and five females) are now released into an enclosure at the park under special monitoring. The Kuno National Park (KNP) is chosen because of its suitable habitat and adequate prey base. Environmentalists are hopeful that the cheetahs will help revitalize the open grassland ecosystem, which would enhance the protection of various species living in that area.

Threat of Extinction faced by Cheetahs:

Cheetahs face the threat of extinction due to climate adversity, hunting by humans, and habitat destruction, gradually reducing the size of their populations worldwide. Cheetahs require large areas of land with suitable food, water, and habitats to survive. Human development and expansion cause destruction and fragmentation of wild lands and affect the cheetah’s available habitat and movements. Numerous landscapes across Africa that once were shelters for numerous cheetahs are now struggling with fewer numbers. Under the Species Recovery Program of the Indian government, species that become extinct are restored in their historic natural habitat.

Significance of Cheetah Reintroduction:

The Asiatic cheetah was declared extinct in India more than seventy years ago. India can now consider the reintroduction of cheetahs in the Indian subcontinent to restore its lost natural heritage for ethical and ecological reasons. Experts believe there is enough biological and financial support to protect this species in a natural habitat where they will regenerate independently. A prey base environment has already been prepared at the Kuno-Palpur sanctuary that can help sustain the population of the cheetahs. The reintroduction project has been recognized as a strategy to conserve threatened species and restore ecosystem functions, bringing the following benefits:

• Biological: The cheetah project plays a significant role in the conservation of nearly extinct species and contributes to the global effort toward protecting the cheetah as an endangered species. Reintroducing cheetahs will help relieve the threat of extinction on the species by creating favourable natural habitats required by cheetahs for survival.
  
• Economical: This project would boost eco-tourism and support the local economy. It would help to enhance the living conditions of the local communities in and around the national park area with increased revenues from tourism and associated activities. Local communities should be counselled on living in harmony with the wildlife.
  
• Biodiversity: The cheetah reintroduction aims at re-establishing the ecosystem in that region with favourable habitats for many species. The initiative in saving cheetahs would also save its prey base consisting of specific threatened species and other endangered animals of the grasslands and open forest ecosystem. The reintroduction of cheetahs will help restore India’s open forests and grassland ecosystems, resulting in more extraordinary biodiversity.

Challenges in the Reintroduction of Cheetah:

Despite the support and appreciation received from different sectors, the reintroduction of cheetahs to India still faces some challenges. Different experts expressed their doubts and concerns about the success of this project and its impact on the overall ecological balance in the environment. The potential challenges are as follows:

• Adaptability: Wild species reintroduced in different habitats may experience increased vulnerability due to the difficulties faced in adaptation as an effect of relocation and climatic changes. The natural and ecological differences between original and new environments may affect evolutionary processes, especially with smaller populations. 
  
• Coexistence with larger animals: There may be competition between the larger predators and the cheetahs in the national park. More aggressive predators such as lions, tigers, and leopards are there in the same area, and there are factual findings on how well cheetahs can coexist with lions, tigers, and leopards. They may be driven to the outskirts of the park, leading to a situation of human-animal conflict.
  
• Commercialization: There are opinions that such an initiative can always be viewed through a commercial perspective that highlights the benefits of tourism. The cheetah scheme feels more like a tourism-oriented project than a conservation imperative. In the long run, it may present a threat of intra-species and human-wildlife conflict.
  
• Premature: Some conservationists believe it is a premature plan, and there is not enough research and readiness to reintroduce these cheetahs in the national park. They will likely face threats from people or other animals, challenging their survival and natural evolution.

Important Points about Cheetah Reintroduction:

The cheetahs that went extinct in India are Asiatic Cheetahs that are today only found in very small numbers in Iran. There are 33 populations of cheetahs across 19 African countries and Iran.

• The Kuno national park was first established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary and later declared a national park in 2018. The area of the Kuno national park is 748 sq. km. Another 413 sq km was added to the national park, which is estimated to have a capacity to sustain 21 cheetahs. 
• The Cheetah Reintroduction Project, steered by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), formally started on September 17, 2022. 
• The initial batch of cheetahs and their potential offspring will be radio-collared and tracked for at least 10 years. 
• The Kuno National Park has brought in 238 chitals of spotted deer and is planning to bring in around 300 more deer to increase the prey base for the cheetahs.

Conclusion:

Project cheetah marks a significant step toward conserving endangered species and improving biodiversity in the Indian subcontinent, along with opening opportunities for better livelihood options for communities through ecotourism. There needs to be a well-planned strategy for monitoring and taking guidance from veterinary and scientific experts to support the species in the adaptation process. Tracking systems must be implemented to watch the cheetahs and other animals to ensure better coexistence. Various awareness programs should be conducted to familiarize the locals with the reintroduction plan and achieve the benefits as desired.