Reintroduction of Cheetahs in India

Sakshi Education

Government of India has planned to bring disease-free, behaviourally sound Cheetahs from abroad in India, as a part of reintroduction plan.
Government is also looking for Cheetahs, which are not overly imprinted to humans but tolerant, predators-wary, and are capable of hunting wild prey.
Cheetahs should be in the reproductive age.
They should be “socially tolerant of each other”.
Government has planned to reintroduce 12 to 14 cheetahs from South Africa, Namibia and Other African Countries over a period of five years.
All these Cheetahs will be fitted with satellite or GSM-GPS-VHF radio-collars before they will be release in the wild, so that they could be monitored remotely.
Under the ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India, government seeks to introduce at least 50 Cheetahs in various national parks over the period of five years. Environment Ministry is in process of holding consultation meetings with African countries to bring Cheetah.
Cheetah is the only large carnivore that became extinct in 1950s in India.
Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger, government has allocated Rs. 38.70 crore to the cheetah introduction project for the years 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Government aims to establish a free-ranging population of cheetahs across Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Population in KNP will be managed as a meta-population. Other recommended sites for holding and conservation breeding of cheetah in India are: