Published on: January 1, 2026
TRANSLOCATION OF CHEETAHS TO INDIA
TRANSLOCATION OF CHEETAHS TO INDIA
NEWS
- Botswana announced symbolic donation of 8 cheetahs to India.
- Botswana hosts 1,700–2,000 wild cheetahs — among the largest populations globally.
- India aims to strengthen Project Cheetah efforts.
ABOUT CHEETAHS
- Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus
- Known for tawny coat + black spots used for identification.
- India earlier had Asiatic Cheetahs
- Declared Extinct in India in 1952
- Last known cheetahs killed in 1947 (M.P.)
- Now survive only in Iran
CONSERVATION STATUS
| Category | Asiatic Cheetah | African Cheetah |
| IUCN | Critically Endangered | Vulnerable |
| Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 | Schedule I | Schedule I |
HISTORICAL CAUSES OF EXTINCTION IN INDIA
- British labelled cheetahs as “vermin”
- Bounty system encouraged killings
- ₹12 (adult), ₹6 (cubs)
- Habitat destruction due to plantations
- Loss of breeding population
- Colonial hunting priorities ignored cheetah protection
PROJECT CHEETAH (LAUNCHED SEPT 2022)
- Aim: Reintroduce cheetahs into India
- First batches:
- Namibia → 8 cheetahs
- South Africa → 12 cheetahs
- Release site: Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh
OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT CHEETAH
- Establish a viable, breeding cheetah population in India
- Use cheetahs as an umbrella species to restore:
- Grasslands
- Savannahs
- Scrubland ecosystems
SCIENTIFIC DEBATE
- Two subspecies currently recognised:
- Asiatic (A. j. venaticus)
- African (A. j. jubatus)
- Some ecologists argue genetic difference is minimal / debatable
BEYOND NUGGET — PROJECT TIGER
- Launched: 1973
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme
- Came after Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
- Started in 9 tiger reserves
