Project Cheetah

Why in the news?

A total of eight reintroduced African cheetahs at the Kuno Palpur National Park in Madhya Pradesh have died since its inception in 2022.

Project Cheetah

1.      Cheetah

a.     Fastest mammal on earth with speeds of 60-70 miles per hour facilitated by its unique body- slender limbs, hard foot pad and a flexible spine.

b.    The big cat is native to Africa and Central Iran (extinct in the wild in India).

c.     A keystone species which is placed in Schedule 2 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Appendix I of CITES.

d.    Habitat

                          i.            Open plains

                       ii.            Grasslands, scrubs and open forest systems.

                     iii.            Semi-arid environment

                      iv.            Hotter temperature regimes

2.     Cheetah Reintroduction Programme

a.      This is the world's first inter-continental large wild carnivore translation project.

b.      Reasons for extinction of the species in India (declared extinct in 1952)

                          i.            Over hunting and illegal trafficking

                         ii.            Habitat loss

                       iii.            Human-animal conflict

c.       Source of cheetahs

                          i.            From Southern Africa, particularly Namibia

                ii.         African cheetahs are ancestral to all Cheetah lineages and have greatest Genetic diversity. IUCN status: vulnerable

                     iii.            Whereas Asian cheetahs in Iran are Critically Endangered and therefore their relocation will affect its source population.

d.      Choice of Kuno-palpur NP for Cheetah relocation

                          i.           Suitable Habitat and prey base

                       ii.            Devoid of human settlements completely

                     iii.            Forms part of Sheopur-Shivpuri deciduous open forest landscape

                      iv.            Offers prospects of housing 5 big cats of India- Snow leopard, Tiger, Lion, Leopard and Cheetah.

3.      Differences between African and Asian Cheetahs

Cause for the death of cheetahs at Kuno Palpur in the aspects of radio collars in their necks causing infections or the animal's inability to offer resistance to specific parasites, etc., is being investigated.