Font size:
Print
The Cheetah Reintroduction Project: Challenges and Solutions
Context:
The reintroduction project has faced both successes and challenges, including the birth of cubs and the unfortunate deaths of several cheetahs.
Background:
- Cheetah Extinction in India: Cheetahs became extinct in the 1950s in India.
- Reintroduction Initiative: The first African cheetahs were introduced into Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP) on September 17, 2022, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Project Timeline: The project, conceived in 2009, faced delays due to legal hurdles. The Supreme Court initially blocked it in 2012 but allowed it in 2020.
- Current Status: Since 2022, 20 cheetahs have been brought from South Africa and Namibia, with 12 cubs born in India. Presently, there are 24 cheetahs in Kuno, all confined to enclosures.
Expansion Plans:
- The project is expanding beyond Kuno National Park (KNP) to include the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh and the Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.
- Additionally, a cheetah breeding centre has been approved for Banni Grasslands in Gujarat, which is expected to play a crucial role in the species’ long-term conservation.
- An extensive cheetah corridor is also in development, connecting Kuno, Gandhi Sagar, and Mukundara Hills across several thousand square kilometres and 21 districts in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
- This corridor aims to allow cheetahs to move safely between reserves, helping avoid overcrowding and inbreeding. However, there are several concerns about this ambitious plan.
Key Challenges:
- High Mortality Rate: Deaths due to drowning, maggot infestations, heart and renal failure, and infighting. Attempts to release cheetahs from enclosures have been largely unsuccessful.
- Prey Base Decline: In Kuno, prey density has reduced drastically:
- Spotted deer density dropped from 69.36 per sq km (2013) to 17.5 per sq km (2024). Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve have even lower prey densities.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict: Villages near corridors and reserves rely heavily on forests for resources, leading to potential conflicts. Scattered cheetahs risk being poisoned, electrocuted, or caught in snares.
- Inadequate Infrastructure: Managing free-roaming cheetahs requires trained personnel and equipment, which is unavailable across the proposed cheetah corridors.
- Proposed Corridor Challenges: Plans for a cheetah corridor connecting KNP, Gandhi Sagar, and Mukundara Hills face issues: Lack of uninterrupted forested areas and inadequate prey density outside protected areas.
- Economic and Social Concerns: Promised tourism-based jobs may not materialise if cheetahs remain scattered. Local communities may resist the project if tangible benefits are not realised.
- Legal Implications: The project risks violating rights guaranteed under Article 21 and 300-A of the Indian Constitution if it endangers lives or property.
- The Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) could deem negligence in addressing human-wildlife conflicts as criminal liability.
Global Experiences and Recommendations: Fenced Reserves as a Solution
- African nations use fenced reserves extensively. Successful Indian examples include fenced rhino habitats in Dudhwa National Park and gaur enclosures in Bandhavgarh.
- Advantages:
- Prevents human-wildlife conflicts, poaching, and illegal grazing.
- Ensures prey animals stay within protected areas.
- Supports higher wildlife densities if prey is adequate.
- Easier management of cheetah populations, enabling genetic diversity through periodic exchanges.
- Criticism of Fenced Reserves: Critics label them as “zoos,” but fenced reserves like South Africa’s Kruger National Park thrive with wildlife while maintaining natural animal behaviours.
- Cost Considerations: While fences are expensive, their long-term management costs are lower than open systems.
Potential Actions for Kuno and Beyond:
- Expand and Fence Kuno National Park: Kuno can expand to approximately 1,800 sq km by adding adjacent forest areas. Erecting a boundary fence around the park could significantly reduce conflicts and poaching.
- Focus on Habitat Restoration: Address prey depletion through habitat restoration and translocation of herbivores. Prevent overgrazing by local livestock within the protected area.
- Develop Sustainable Tourism: A fenced reserve could create predictable wildlife sightings, boosting tourism and local employment.
- Scientific Monitoring and Management: Periodic evaluation of prey density and habitat conditions. Use fenced areas as breeding grounds and sources for introducing cheetahs to other protected areas.
- Strengthen Local Engagement: Involve local communities in conservation efforts. Ensure tangible benefits like jobs and compensation for losses due to wildlife.
Legislative Safeguards: Ensure compliance with constitutional rights and avoid liability under the BNS by prioritising human safety.
