Project Cheetah: Controversy Surrounds the Reintroduction of African Cheetahs to India

Project Cheetah, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2022, aims to reintroduce African cheetahs to India, where the Asiatic cheetah was hunted to extinction in 1952. The project seeks to establish a self-sustaining population of cheetahs in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, as part of a broader conservation effort. Recently, nine wild African cheetahs were transported from Botswana to India, increasing the total number of cheetahs in the country to 53, including 20 adults imported from Namibia and South Africa in previous years.

The Hindu

Despite the project's ambitious goals, scientists have raised significant concerns regarding its feasibility. Wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam argues that the Kuno National Park, with a carrying capacity of only about 10 adult cheetahs, lacks adequate habitat and prey to support a growing population. He emphasizes that the focus on captive breeding is misguided and that importing more cheetahs from countries like Botswana, which has a declining wild population, is illogical. Nitin Rai, a fellow at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, describes the project as a "green grab," suggesting it serves more to control land than to genuinely conserve the species.

The Hindu

The reintroduction has not been without its challenges. Reports indicate that nine imported cheetahs and 12 cubs born in India have died due to various causes, including acute heart failure and conflicts with other cheetahs. Critics argue that the project is destined to fail without the necessary habitat restoration and prey availability. Dr. Rai stresses the need to create extensive grassland areas before considering the reintroduction of cheetahs and their prey.

The Hindu

In contrast to the criticisms, Jhala, a former dean of the Wildlife Institute of India and designer of the project, remains optimistic about the breeding success of the cheetahs. He advocates for securing and restoring habitats in other protected areas and suggests that managing prey density through supplementation is a standard practice. The Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh, Subharanjan Sen, supports this view, noting efforts to maintain old agricultural fields as grasslands in relocated village areas.

The Hindu

There is a notable discrepancy between the optimism expressed by project advocates and the concerns raised by scientists regarding habitat adequacy and the survival of the cheetah population. While proponents highlight the potential for cheetah breeding success, critics emphasize the urgent need for habitat restoration and the risks associated with further imports.

The Hindu

• “Chellam, that the birth of what are essentially captive-bred cheetahs is being hailed as a sign of the project’s success.” — Ravi Chellam, Wildlife Biologist

The Hindu

• “It is destined to fail because there is no habitat for an expanding population.” — Nitin Rai, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

The Hindu

• “What we now need is to secure and restore habitats in other protected areas in the State by incentivised voluntary relocation of habitation and judicious fencing of some boundaries of these parks.” — Jhala, Former Dean, Wildlife Institute of India

The Hindu

The future of Project Cheetah remains uncertain as it grapples with scientific scrutiny and the challenges of habitat restoration necessary for the survival of the reintroduced cheetahs.

The Hindu