Cheetah Reintroduction Plan: India-South Africa sign pact, 12 ...

Cheetah Reintroduction Plan: India-South Africa sign pact, 12 cheetahs to be brought to Kuno

Jan. 28, 2023

Why in News?

An MoU on cooperation in reintroduction of cheetahs to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh next month, has been signed between India and South Africa.

What’s in Today’s Article?

About the Species (Acinonyx Jubatus Venaticus):

The Cheetah (a carnivore) is the world’s fastest land animal historically ranging throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and extending eastward to India.
It plays an important part in the ecosystem by maintaining prey species healthy (by killing the weak and old) and control the population of prey, thus, helping plants-life by preventing overgrazing.
Today, Cheetahs are found in only 9% of their historic range, occurring in a variety of habitats such as savannahs in the Serengeti, arid mountain ranges in the Sahara and hilly desert terrain in Iran.
Namibia has the largest population of Cheetahs in the world, earning it the title "The Cheetah Capital of the World."
Currently, Cheetahs (African) are listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, as there are fewer than 7,100 adult and adolescent Cheetahs in the wild.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists them as an Appendix 1 species.

What was the Historical Range of Cheetahs in India?

Historically, Asiatic Cheetahs had a very wide distribution in India, occurring from as far north as Punjab to Tirunelveli district in southern Tamil Nadu, from Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west to Bengal in the east.
Thus, the Cheetah’s habitat was very diverse - scrub forests, dry grasslands, savannas and other arid and semi-arid open habitats.

What were the Causes of Extinction of Cheetahs in India?

The big cat population got completely wiped out in the early 1950s, mainly due to over-hunting and habitat loss.
Records of Cheetahs being hunted (sport hunting, capturing during Mughal period) go back to the 1550s.
However, the final phase of its extinction coincided with British colonial rule (the British declared a bounty for killing it in 1871).

What is the Cheetah Reintroduction Plan?

Discussions to bring the Cheetah back to India were initiated in 2009 by the Wildlife Trust of India.
Under the ‘Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India’, 50 cheetahs will be brought from African countries to various national parks over 5 years.
Recommended sites:
- Kuno Palpur National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh: Amongst the surveyed sites of the central Indian states, KNP has been rated the highest, because of its suitable habitat and adequate prey base.
  - It is assessed to be capable of supporting 21 Cheetahs and is likely the only wildlife site in the country where villages have been completely relocated from within the park.
  - Kuno also provides the possibility of harbouring four of India's big cats - tiger, lion, leopard and Cheetah, enabling them to coexist as they have in the past.
- The other sites recommended are - Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh; Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary - Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary complex, Madhya Pradesh; Shahgarh bulge in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan; Mukundara Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.

Why are Cheetahs Coming from Southern Africa?

Reasons behind re-introducing cheetah from southern Africa:
- The locally extinct Cheetah-subspecies of India is found in Iran and is categorised as critically endangered.
- Since it is not possible to source the critically endangered Asiatic Cheetah from Iran, India decided to source Cheetahs from Southern Africa.
- Southern African Cheetahs have the highest observed genetic variety among extant Cheetah lineages, which is critical for a founding population stock.
- Furthermore, Southern African Cheetahs have been determined to be the ancestors of all other Cheetah lineages, making them suitable for India's reintroduction programme.
Challenges of bringing back Cheetahs:
- Based on the evidence available, it is impossible to conclude that the choice to bring the African Cheetah into India is scientifically sound.
- As a result, the Supreme Court of India (in 2020) permitted an experimental release of Cheetahs in a suitable habitat.

News Summary with respect to the Cheetah Reintroduction from South Africa:

In terms of the agreement, an initial batch of 12 cheetahs (7 male and 5 female) are to be flown in from South Africa to India during February 2023.
The cats will join eight cheetahs introduced to India from Namibia during 2022.
Some improvements have been made to the existing bomas (wildlife enclosures built usually for the treatment or quarantine of animals) based on the observations of the last few months.

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