Project Cheetah to bring back the big cat in India; Help in reestablishing species in historical range

In a major development, the Centre has launched an ambitious project called Project Cheetah, with the aim of re-establishing the species in its historical form. This initiative to reintroduce wild life including Cheetah, has been undertaken as per the guidelines issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The process including disease screening, quarantine, transportation of wild animals requires proper execution and planning.

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“Reintroduction of wild species, particularly the Cheetah, is being undertaken as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines and the processes like disease screening, quarantine of release candidates as well as transportation of live wild animals across continents requires careful planning and execution,” the statement issued by the Centre said.

It further read, “Seized of the sensitivity of the entire process, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is taking all precautions to ensure the success of the project.”

While Cheetahs will be kept under observation before their release, the Centre has rejected reports of African Cheetahs being stuck in transit. “Reports in certain sections of the media that African Cheetahs are still stuck in transit are completely unfounded,”it added. Even as an agreement has already been signed with Namibia, the process of signing an agreement with South Africa is underway.

Earlier on July 20, 2022, the Centre signed an agreement with Namibia on the utilisation of wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity in order to establish the cheetah into the historical range of the country.

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According to the government, the agreement with Namibia will help develop a mutually beneficial relationship between both countries in order to encourage wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity that will be based on the principles of sovereignty, mutual respect, equality and the best interests of both countries.

With this new initiative , the country has moved closure to reestablish nearly 300 Cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, some reports said.