If the gamble to translocate the cheetah succeeds, India could become a global conservation success story. But if it does not succeed, India will have to face monumental criticism for its daring experiment.
The reintroduction of the cheetah-one of the big cats but a delicate big cat-in India after exactly 70 years is being watched closely. If the eight Namibian cheetahs, introduced in the Kuno National Park survive, breed and live out their lives, it would be the first large transcontinental conservation programme to succeed.
According to Dr Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, it has taken at least 12 years of deliberations with the Indian government and its scientists to chalk out a path to reintroduce the African cheetah in India.
The eight cheetahs introduced on September 16 in Kuno have been fitted with satellite collars to track their movements. Other safety measures include drones, watch towers with CCTV cameras and retired military personnel to deter poachers.
Even as these cheetahs acclimatise themselves under the watchful eyes of the conservationists, another 12 animals are being kept under quarantine in South Africa. These 12 are likely to be introduced to Kuno before the end of this year. The aim is to populate the national park with a diverse strain of cheetah population from Africa to prevent inbreeding.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking personal interest in the reintroduction of the cheetah, and the ambitious nature of the project, curious eyes from across the world are fixed on the programme.
Even as the cheetahs have been brought into the country under the watchful eyes of international and Indian experts, there are others who look at the exercise critically.
There are experts who are divided on the move to reintroduce the cat.
In a letter published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution recently, conservationists from a number of countries have said that the Kuno National Park does not offer the ample space for the fastest animal on earth. Another point of criticism is that the cheetah will sooner or later come into contact with the human population that surrounds the national park resulting in human-cheetah conflict.
Yet another fear is that the cheetah may die due to unforeseen situations or they may not breed in India.
Cheetahs which were once spread out in large numbers across Asia and Africa now survive mostly in south African countries where the population is around 7,000. The Asiatic cheetah is located only in Iran with a population of around 50 only. From India the Asiatic cheetah was wiped out completely due to hunting, habitat loss and reduced prey.
On the other hand the expert team of Indian, Namibian and South African conservationists who have been working on the project have expressed hope that this relocation will be successful.
Only the next few years will tell how successful the cheetah relocation project has been. If the cheetahs adapt, survive and breed in India it would make India a magnanimous host that has given a new home to the cheetah to live in.
The cheetah would in turn help restore the ecosystem, increase livelihood opportunities for local people and drive ecotourism.
A CSR Initiative of
Designed and Executed by
Implemented by
Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master, it was rightly said. Electronic devices have grown into an inevitable part of our daily lives.
Leave A Comment