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Project Cheetah: Two-Year Progress Report
Context:
Project Cheetah, an ambitious initiative to reintroduce the African cheetah to India, marked its two-year anniversary on September 17, 2024.
More on News:
- Establish a stable, breeding population of cheetahs in central India.
- Use cheetahs as an umbrella species to restore open natural ecosystems, including scrubs, savannahs, grasslands, and degraded forests.
Initial Steps and Translocation:
- The project began by translocating 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
- These cheetahs were introduced in two batches: the first group of eight arrived in September 2022 and the second group of 12 in February 2023.
- Initially kept in soft-release bomas to acclimate to their new environment, the cheetahs hunted live prey within these enclosures before some were released into the wild but were later returned to enclosures.
Current Status and Future Plans:
- As of now, 24 cheetahs (12 adults and 12 cubs) survive from Project Cheetah
- The translocated cheetahs successfully bred, resulting in the birth of 17 cubs. However, eight of the original 20 adults (40%) have died from various causes, including mating-related incidents and tick-borne septicaemia.
- Plans are underway to translocate another 6-8 African cheetahs to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
Challenges:
- Despite successful breeding (12 out of 17 cubs surviving), all 24 cheetahs are currently in enclosures following the death of Pawan, a cheetah released into the wild, who reportedly drowned in August.
- This led to the suspension of releases into the wild, raising concerns about the cheetahs’ ability to adapt to their habitat.
- Conservationists criticise the prolonged captivity of cheetahs, contradicting the Cheetah Action Plan that outlined a 4-5 week quarantine followed by 1-2 months of acclimatisation.
- Recent reports show a significant decline in chital density, the primary prey for cheetahs and leopards. The report calls for immediate prey augmentation interventions at Kuno and Gandhi Sagar.
Way Forward:
- Movement Patterns: Free-ranging cheetahs frequently crossing state boundaries and enter human habitats, emphasising the need for comprehensive conservation strategies.
- Interstate Landscape Conservation: To establish a viable population of 60-70 cheetahs, conservation efforts must focus on the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar landscape across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Key Measures Needed:
- Prey Management: Addressing the prey base to support both cheetahs and leopards.
- Interstate Coordination: Developing a mechanism to facilitate cooperation between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for effective conservation.
- Ecosystem Protection: Safeguarding and restoring open ecosystem habitats to minimise risks to the cheetah population.