The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat on 25th September 2022 had urged the citizens to come with suggestions for cheetahs reintroduced from Namibia and South Africa, with an intention to popularize and to sensitize the general public about Project Cheetah. In this regard, a competition was organized on Government of India platform mygov.in from 26th September to 31st October 2022. In response, a total of 11,565 entries were received suggesting new names for reintroduced cheetahs. The entries were scrutinized by a selection committee and based on the significance and relevance of the suggested names for their conservation and cultural value the following new names have been selected for cheetahs for Namibian and South African cheetah.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change congratulates the winners of the competition who suggested new names for Namibian and South African cheetahs.
The last cheetahs in the Indian wilderness were recorded in 1947 where three cheetahs were shot in the Sal (Shorea robusta) forests of Koriya District, Chhattisgarh State. The main reasons for the decline of cheetah in India were large scale capture of animals from the wild for coursing, bounty and sport hunting, extensive habitat conversion along with consequent decline in prey base and in 1952 Cheetahs were declared as extinct.
The goal of Cheetah introduction project in India was to establish viable cheetah metapopulation in India that allows the cheetah to perform its functional role as a top predator and provide space for the expansion of the cheetah within its historic range thereby contributing to its global conservation efforts.
The major objectives of the introduction project were:
1) To establish breeding cheetah populations in safe habitats across its historic range and manage them as a metapopulation,
2) To use the cheetah as a charismatic flagship and umbrella species to garner resources for restoring open forest and savanna systems that will benefit biodiversity and ecosystem services from these ecosystems,
3) To use the ensuing opportunity for eco-development and eco-tourism to enhance local community livelihoods and
4) To manage any conflict by cheetah or other wildlife with local communities within cheetah conservation areas expediently through compensation, awareness, and management action.
In this context, the Government of India initiated G2G consultative meetings with Republic of Namibia which culminated in the signing of MoU between the two countries on 20th July 2022 for cheetah conservation. Following the signing of MoU, in a historic first wild to wild intercontinental translocation, eight cheetahs were transported from Namibia to India on 17th September, 2022 and were released into the quarantine bomas by the Prime Minister of India.
As per the Action Plan for Cheetah Introduction in India, annually 10-12 cheetahs are required to be imported from African countries for the next 5 years at least. In this context, the Government of India initiated bilateral negotiations with Republic of South Africa since 2021 for cooperation in the field of Cheetah conservation. The negotiations were successfully concluded with the signing of MoU with the Republic of South Africa in January 2023.
Under the provisions of the MoU, a first batch of 12 cheetahs (7 males, 5 females) were translocated from South Africa to India on 18th February 2023. The translocation of 12 cheetahs from South Africa to Gwalior and onwards to Kuno National Park through Helicopters was executed by the Indian Air Force. A delegation of cheetah experts, veterinarians and senior officials accompanied the cheetahs during the transcontinental translocation exercise.
For taking India’s ambitious project on Cheetah Introduction forward, a consultative workshop involving international cheetah experts, scientists, veterinarians, and forest officials was also organised on 20th February, 2023 at the Kuno National Park. The outcome of the workshop paved a way for better cheetah management which will help in successfully establishing cheetah metapopulation in India.
Post Translocation Updates About Cheetahs in India
Post the mandatory quarantine period of the first batch of cheetahs, the animals were released into the larger enclosure in phased manner.
NOC from DAHD(Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying) was obtained and the Cheetahs have been released in the larger enclosure. All Cheetahs are doing well and hunting the wild prey.
Four Namibian Cheetahs are free ranging in the wild and are monitored 24*7.
Furthermore, 4 cubs were born and are healthy and doing well.
Overall 19 adults are doing well.
