The revival of the cheetah population in India entails re-establishing a population of cheetahs in areas. They existed previously but were slaughtered to extermination immediately following the period of the Mughal empire, Marathas, and Rajput royalty, and subsequently by the British Raj until only a few thousand remained in the early twentieth century.
The Maharaja of Surguja, Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo, shot down three of the remaining Asiatic cheetahs reported in India in 1948. Assessing and rebuilding their previous grassland scrub forest areas is essential to the reintroduction strategy. This falls within the purview of the local forest department in each state where relocation happens, with funds provided by the Indian central government.
Here are some interesting facts about the Cheetah:
- The Cheetah is one of the most ancient large cat species, with ancestors dating back over five million years to the Miocene epoch
- The Cheetah is also known for its speed. The Cheetah is the fastest terrestrial animal on the planet, living in Africa and Asia
Let’s examine the main differences between African and Asian cheetahs:
African Cheetah
- They have brownish and golden skin that is wider than Asiatic Cheetahs, with far more different spots and wrinkles on their faces than their Asian counterparts
- Thousands of them can be found throughout the African continent
- African cheetahs are vulnerable to the IUCN and are present in CITIES appendix 1
Asiatic Cheetah
- Asiatic cheetahs are slightly smaller
- They have light yellowish fawn skin and thicker hair beneath their body, particularly on the belly
- Only about 100 individuals remain, and they are primarily found in Iran
- Their IUCN classification is Critically Endangered
Threats faced by them
- Human-wildlife conflict, habitat degradation and prey decline, and illicit trafficking
- Deforestation and cultivation reduced forest acreage and cheetah habitat.
- Climate change and rising human concentrations have only exacerbated these issues.
Indian government’s efforts to preserve cheetahs
- Seven years ago, the Wildlife Institute of India launched a Rs 260-crore cheetah reintroduction scheme
- This might be the first intercontinental cheetah translocation project in history
- The Ministry of Environment announced an “Action Plan for Cheetah Introduction in India” at the 19th meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
- The NTCA has chosen to introduce 50 African cheetahs from Namibia into the country during the next five years
Sites for reintroduction
Wildlife specialists have identified three areas that can maintain cheetah populations. The Nauradehi and Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Reserves in Madhya Pradesh, as well as the Shahgarh bulge terrain in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, have been designated as possibly suitable for cheetah reintroduction. The Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh can foster populations of four of India’s big cats: the Indian leopard, Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, and Asiatic Cheetah, all of which have historically co-existed in the same habitats for many years before being wiped out, in part or entirely, due to predation and habitat degradation.
When a significant population has been established, additional historic range habitats in India (after revitalization), such as the Desert National Park and Banni Grasslands in Gujarat, will also be considered for reintroduction later.