Latest news with #ProjectCheetah
The Print
5 days ago
- General
- The Print
Nauradehi to be cheetahs' new home in MP. It's preparing by expanding prey base, relocating villages
The expanse of Nauradehi is located on a plateau spread across Sagar and Damoh districts in the Bundelkhand region. While it has a deciduous forest with sal, teak, mahua, bamboo and bel trees in abundance, there are also extensive continuous grasslands, which act as grazing lands for herbivores, with a substantial prey base, including four different categories of antelopes, wild bores and black bucks. A senior official from Madhya Pradesh's forest department told ThePrint, 'The team of National Tiger Conservation Authority gave a go-ahead to prepare the sanctuary to receive cheetahs.' Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has begun work to develop the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary as the third home for cheetahs in the state, after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. A team of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) inspected the sanctuary in May, and earmarked a 30 km area spread across three ranges of Mohli, Jhapa and Singpur to be prepared to house cheetahs. The forest department is also working to further augment this prey base with the translocation of cheetals or spotted deer from Pench and Kanha Tiger Reserves. In 2010, Nauradehi was one of the priority sites considered for the reintroduction of cheetahs, but was later dropped, owing to the large number of villages that were yet to be relocated from within the sanctuary. According to senior wildlife officials, there were a total of 93 villages at its core, of which 44 have been shifted outside, while 49 still remain within the sanctuary. The forest department is currently undertaking the relocation of three more villages, while seven others, including Mohli village—one of the largest ones—will be taken up for relocation later this year. The three ranges of Mohli, Jhapa and Singpur earmarked by the inspection team, comprising Vaibhav Mathur, deputy inspector general of forests at NTCA, have a total of 13 villages, which will be taken up for relocation. The 30 km area will also be fenced to reduce biotic pressure. The divisional forest team has also sought an additional funding of Rs 150 crore for the relocation of these 13 villages. Nauradehi will also be equipped with veterinary doctors, filling up the vacant positions in the sanctuary. After going extinct in India in 1952, cheetahs were brought back to the country in September 2022, when eight of them were flown in from Namibia to the Kuno National Park in the state's Sheopur district. Another batch of 12 was flown in from South Africa in February 2023. These were also housed at Kuno, taking the total number of cheetahs in India to 20. However, the Narendra Modi government's Project Cheetah suffered a major setback the following monsoon, when several of them suffered infections, causing the death of eight males, bringing down the total number of adult cheetahs to 12. Over the past two years, a total of 26 cubs were born to these cheetahs, but only 19 survived. With the 12 adults and 19 cubs, the total number of cheetahs in India currently stands at 31. In April this year, two adult male cheetahs, Pawan and Prabhas, who were among the 12 cheetahs brought in from South Africa, were relocated to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary that has been developed as the second home for the big cats in the country. The aim of developing more homes is to create a metapopulation of cheetahs at different locations in the country. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: Mr India, Machli, Maya—Why India's tiger reserves keep breaking the no-naming rule
Daily Maverick
12-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Project Cheetah is an ill-advised wildlife relocation that seems doomed to failure
In an ill-advised attempt to establish a population of African cheetahs in India, Project Cheetah aimed to restore India's long-extinct cheetah population. To initiate this, 20 cheetahs from southern Africa were sent to Kuno National Park in India from 2022 to 2023. Reports suggest a further 20 cheetahs are to be sent from Kenya this year, as well as potentially more cheetahs from South Africa. Despite its portrayal as a conservation and restoration success story, Project Cheetah has experienced high mortality rates, with eight adults (40%) and five cubs (29.4%) dying due to kidney failure, fighting injuries, extreme heat and humidity and fly-strike-related skin infections. In a recent research paper, co-authored with researchers from Blood Lions, we addressed how Project Cheetah exemplifies broader issues related to rewilding and restoration projects. We argue that proponents and authorities issuing Cites permits need to be cognisant of the consequences of their decisions. Project Cheetah alone is estimated to cost between $50-million and $60-million, an amount that could arguably be used more effectively for in-situ conservation and social upliftment efforts. Concerns about Project Cheetah are not new — cheetah experts have been raising alarms since the project's inception, yet South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) approved the export permits for 12 cheetahs to leave South Africa, with the other eight originating from Namibia. Scientists opposed to the project agree that Project Cheetah lacks conservation and scientific merit, especially demonstrating shortfalls in the ecological criteria that guided decision-makers. Critics have also suggested underlying political motives, including an alleged request from Namibia for India to withdraw its ban on the ivory trade. Global conservation efforts have witnessed a necessary shift towards equity and justice in protecting biodiversity. So often, conservation efforts and biodiversity loss disproportionately affect marginalised communities and indigenous people. More recently, there's a significant movement to recognise that non-human species also suffer immense injustices, not only in the illegal trade but also in the legal trade. In the case of Project Cheetah, our research shows that cheetahs translocated to India for restoration purposes have had their welfare compromised, in addition to the unjust social implications for local and indigenous communities surrounding Kuno. Further challenges exist, including differences in climate, prey species and habitat that African cheetahs need to adapt to, and the potential human-wildlife conflict for communities not accustomed to the presence of cheetahs. Why is Project Cheetah problematic? Kuno is a biodiverse region of 784km2 in the central Indian Vindhya Hills. Initially, it was earmarked as the site for the reintroduction of Asiatic lions, which was due to start in 2008. To accommodate the Asiatic lion reintroductions, 5,000 people from 24 villages were displaced between 1999 and 2001. However, the project never went ahead as the Gujarat state government was reluctant to release lions to another state. With 669 Asiatic lions dying in the last five years, the species is now listed as 'largely depleted' in the latest IUCN Listing as of 27 March 2025. A report released in 2010 on the translocation of cheetahs into Kuno shows many shortcomings. Instead of recognising diverse values, understanding potential inequitable impacts, and focusing on historically burdened groups, the surveyors made subjective judgments about community members by looking at their age, sex, clothing condition, the use of jewellery and wristwatches, and transport. The goal behind this assessment was to determine which populations would be most likely to accept once-off compensation for relocating. What the report failed to acknowledge included important social dimensions like attitudes towards relocation, exotic species introduction, project acceptance and perceived risks and benefits. Instead, it focused on identifying economically and socially disadvantaged targets for monetary incentives, further exacerbating disenfranchisement and power imbalances. Unjust conservation efforts that explicitly exclude and remove people have led to conservation refugees who were forcibly removed from their homes. Neglecting the human dimensions of conservation Project partners have stated that the cheetah translocations to India were largely justified by the tolerance displayed by those of predominantly Hindu faith. It was implied that people of Hindu faith would tolerate any risk of human-wildlife conflict. But such broad generalisations need to be challenged: communities surrounding Kuno are of many faiths and may experience human-wildlife conflict, and even within Hindu communities, attributing tolerance exclusively to religion is simplistic. Such statements demonstrate severe neglect in accounting for the complex web of socio-ecological systems and the challenges of co-existing with wildlife. Relying on generalisations to justify translocations demonstrates little appreciation of the human dimension of conservation, often overlooking diverse knowledge systems and values, and the complex relationships people have with nature, how they perceive wildlife, and consent to bear the consequences of such conservation work. Unethical and unjustifiable threats to cheetahs As part of Project Cheetah, all cheetahs were initially released into nine bomas designed for 'soft release'. The bomas range in size from 0.5-1.5km2 (compared to the 4.3km2 in which cheetahs can roam daily in Kuno's range of 5,441km2). Some pregnant females have never left these bomas, whereas others have been moved from free-roaming in Kuno back to their bomas on a regular basis. Some have escaped Kuno and have been seen roaming neighbouring villages and towns. According to the most recent publicly available information, all surviving cheetahs have been returned to the bomas. Even more worrying, initial projections have suggested that establishing a viable population in India could take 30-40 years, necessitating that at least 12 cheetahs are imported annually to account for these unacceptable mortality rates. With the adult cheetah mortality at 40%, nearly half of all cheetahs imported for Project Cheetah are likely to die prematurely. Project Cheetah presents serious threats to cheetah welfare, including stress, trauma and adaptation failures, especially considering cheetahs are a stress-prone species. The cheetahs translocated to Kuno have not only undergone intercontinental transportation, but they are also regularly subjected to veterinarian interventions, with more than 90 medical immobilisations conducted so far. It's vital to consider how this can affect their long-term physical and mental welfare, in addition to being kept in captive conditions in bomas for long periods. As a result, the project has seen low survival rates of 60% in adult cheetahs, which is far below the average survival rate of 85% for reintroductions in South Africa's fenced private reserves. The survival rate for Kuno's newly introduced cheetahs is likely to fall even further when all the animals are released from the bomas and encounter other large and unfamiliar predators indigenous to India. On social media, anecdotal reports of cheetahs being stoned by villagers and being harassed during sedation reveal further risks faced by cheetahs struggling to adapt and thrive following their release, highlighting once again the complex interplay of welfare concerns, human-wildlife conflict, and conservation priorities marring Project Cheetah. More recently, cheetahs that appear to be in poor health have been seen hunting cattle in the villages while people attempt to scare them off by throwing stones at them. Senior wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Dr Ravi Chellam says that 'unlike leopards and tigers, these cheetahs, due to their long-term captivity and constant following, are very used to human presence. I expect such interactions to be more common in the future. 'Having said that, it is still very unusual for the cheetahs to attack a prey animal when surrounded by such a boisterous crowd of people. This seems to suggest that the cats are desperately hungry. It has, of course, been very clear right from the start that India does not have the required extent of habitat of suitable quality and the space for the cheetahs to range free in the wild.' How can translocations be improved? Wildlife relocation projects that fail to acknowledge environmental and social issues highlight an urgent need for conservationists to engage in scientifically grounded and locally accepted conservation strategies. Poorly planned community relocations disrupt social structures, similar to forced land reform, and may cause severed cultural connections to land and animals. Our beliefs and traditions intertwine with our experiences in nature, and forced removals can affect the mental health of local and indigenous communities who so closely identify with their culture and the surrounding land and animals. While we agree that community relocations may sometimes be necessary for medical, educational, law enforcement or conservation reasons, our research shows just how important it is to consider residents' preferences and needs to prevent unjust consequences. Given the age-old shaping of nature by local and indigenous communities, relocations may not even be desired where co-existence is preferred. It's vital to acknowledge people's profound connections to land and non-human species and to embrace diverse values of nature. The cheetah translocations to Kuno have shown serious ethical concerns by experimenting with an IUCN-listed 'vulnerable ' species and knowingly subjecting these animals to substantial stress, risks and mortality. We need to challenge and critically think about how we measure conservation successes to go beyond measuring ecological processes of births and deaths, but also to understand the impacts on an animal's physical and mental welfare. When 40-50% of the animals die in a relocation project, we need to reconsider what an ethically acceptable mortality rate should be. Can this really be considered a 'successful reintroduction'? If conservation practices prioritise respect, inclusivity and justice, we are more likely to see positive outcomes for people and nature. DM
The Wire
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
Project Cheetah: More Set to Arrive From Botswana Soon, Plans Underway for Wildlife Corridor
New Delhi: The Union government is in talks with Botswana and eight African cheetahs may soon arrive in Madhya Pradesh from the African nation as part of 'Project Cheetah', the government's ambitious African cheetah introduction project that is currently ongoing in Madhya Pradesh, as per media reports. While Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was where the first two batches of cheetahs had arrived from Namibia and South Africa in September 2022 and February 2023, respectively, two cheetahs have now been moved from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, also in the same state, along the Rajasthan border. Nauradehi is likely to be the third site in the state where cheetahs will be introduced, Uttar Kumar Sharma, assistant principal chief conservator of forests and director of 'Project Lion', told The Wire . Plans are moving forward to introduce cheetahs across select central Indian states as per the Cheetah Action Plan, he said. Meanwhile, Rajasthan will be part of a cheetah corridor that will link the Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in the state with the parks of Kuno and Gandhi Sagar, as per a report by The New Indian Express . This corridor will span across a whopping 17,000 square kilometres, per the report. From Kuno to Gandhi Sagar On April 20, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav released two male cheetahs brought in from South Africa – Prabhas and Pavak – into the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in the state, bordering Rajasthan. Gandhi Sagar is now the second site in the country, as well as in the state of Madhya Pradesh, to house African cheetahs that have been brought in as part of Project Cheetah. As per this programme, the Indian government aims to introduce African cheetahs into select grassland habitats in central India in an effort to reintroduce cheetahs to the country. However, India was previously home to a different subspecies, the Asiatic cheetah. The animals went extinct in the country – the last of India's cheetahs were wiped out in the 1950s. Speaking on the occasion, Yadav told PTI that the release happened because Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav wanted cheetahs to be released in a second site in the state as part of 'Project Cheetah'. As per a report by The Indian Express , the Cheetah Project Steering Committee cleared the translocation from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar – which are separated by 300 kilometers – in the second week of April. The Madhya Pradesh forest department had already been making the wildlife sanctuary ready for cheetah introduction by fencing a part of the park. The two male cheetahs were released in this fenced portion of Gandhi Sagar – around 62 square kilometres in area – and the animals are doing well, APCCF Uttam Kumar Sharma told The Wire on May 5. First cubs having a Namibian father Gaurav and S African mother Nirva. Kuno NP has been blessed with 5 precious new lives. Mother Nirva, 5-year-old brought from Mapesu Reserve, S Africa, has given birth to 5 beautiful cubs. Congratulations to all. Cherish this beautiful moment!' — Uttam Kumar Sharma (@Uttam_K_Sharma) April 27, 2025 There are also plans to introduce cheetahs into Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, making it the third site in the state where cheetahs will be introduced, Sharma told The Wire . When asked about the villagers who will have to be displaced to make place for the cheetahs, Sharma said that villagers are already being moved out of the park because it is a tiger reserve. According to one report , six villages will have to be displaced because they now fall in the core zone of the tiger reserve; the expansion of the tiger reserve means that 90 villages in and around the reserve will need to be relocated. Local communities have been protesting this relocation for several years now also because the compensation they were to receive was very low , pegged at just Rs 15 lakhs. There are plans to introduce cheetahs to the Banni grassland in Gujarat, as the prime minister announced while visiting Anant Ambani's Vantara (aka the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Center), Sharma said. Plans to introduce cheetahs across select central Indian states as per the Cheetah Action Plan are going ahead, he added. A cheetah corridor Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav had launched the ' Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India ' in January 2022 at the 19th meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. As per the plan, around 50 African cheetahs are expected to roam select habitats in central India by 2026. While the Action Plan identified Kuno as the most suitable among 10 contending sites, the other recommended sites for cheetah reintroduction included Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary-Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary complex, and the Mukundara Tiger Reserve and Shahgarh bulge in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. On April 29, chief minister Mohan Yadav told PTI that very soon Rajasthan too would be part of 'Project Cheetah'. According to a report by The New Indian Express , Rajasthan will be part of a cheetah corridor that will link the Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in the state with the parks of Kuno and Gandhi Sagar. This corridor will be spread across a whopping 17,000-square kilometres covering seven districts in Rajasthan (Kota, Bundi, Baran, Jhalawar, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, and Chittorgarh), per the report. An official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to this effect is in the pipeline, the report noted, and the proposal is awaiting final approval from the chief ministers of both states. The report also said that there are also plans to include parts of Uttar Pradesh – specifically the forest areas of Jhansi and Lalitpur – within the extended cheetah landscape. From Botswana to India At the release of the two cheetahs in Gandhi Sagar on April 20, Mohan Yadav also said that India would likely receive four African cheetahs from Botswana in May, and that the cheetahs will likely be released in Gandhi Sagar. The National Tiger Conservation Authority also announced this on April 19 – after a high-level review meeting of 'Project Cheetah' in the presence of union environment minister Bhupender Yadav – as per a report by The Times of India . According to the report, the NTCA said that discussions are ongoing with Kenya and South Africa to bring in more cheetahs to India as well. Notably, cheetah Nirva gave birth to five cubs in late April, taking the number of cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh to 31 now.
NDTV
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Kuno National Park Celebrates Mother's Day With Heartwarming Video Of Cheetah Moms And Cubs
On Mother's Day 2025, Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh shared a heartwarming video showcasing new cheetah moms caring for their adorable cubs. The park has welcomed seven new cubs this year, adding to its growing cheetah population. Notably, Cheetah Nirva and Cheetah Veera are South African cheetahs reintroduced to Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh as part of Project Cheetah, which aims to revive the extinct cheetah population in India. Both Nirva and Veera have played key roles in boosting the cheetah population through successful births, despite setbacks like cub mortality. Cheetah Nirva gave birth to five cubs on April 28 boosting the park's cheetah population to 29 and India's count to 31. Earlier, Veera welcomed two healthy cubs on April 17. In the video, Veera is seen resting under a tree with her two three-month-old cubs snuggled close. Despite her calm demeanour, Veera remains alert, watchful for potential threats, showcasing her fierce maternal instinct. Nirva is also seen attending to her five newborn cubs, while Jwala oversees her four 15-month-old cubs as they learn crucial survival skills. Meanwhile, Asha is seen guiding her three 16-month-old cubs, teaching them essential wilderness lessons. "For the mom who gives without asking, always keeps us safe, and loves us no matter what—Happy Mother's Day! Tag the mom who gives you strength every day," the video was captioned. Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kuno National Park - Official Handle (@kunonationalpark) Kuno National Park, spanning across Morena and Sheopur districts, has been at the forefront of India's cheetah reintroduction program. The park's diverse flora, including Kardhai, Salai, and Khair trees, and fauna, such as jungle cats, leopards, and sloth bears, provide an ideal habitat for these majestic creatures. Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, reintroduced 20 cheetahs (8 from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023) to KNP. The project has faced issues like radio collar infections, high cub mortality, and insufficient prey. Heavy rainfall and humidity in KNP have also caused health issues, such as maggot infestations, in 2023.
Indian Express
28-04-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Kuno gets 5 new cheetah cubs — and crucial mixing of South African, Namibian lineages
In a first for Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a litter of five cheetah cubs were born on Sunday to parents who originated from two distinct populations — South Africa and Namibia. Kuno National park director Uttam Kumar Sharma said, 'First cubs having a Namibian father (Gaurav) and South African mother (Nirva) were born at Kuno National Park. They were blessed with five precious new lives.' Taking to his X handle, Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav wrote, 'New cheetah cubs! Please join me in welcoming five precious new lives in Kuno National Park. In the lap of their mother Nirva — five years old and brought from Mapesu Reserve in South Africa — these cubs remind us of nature's beauty and resilience.' New cheetah cubs 🐾 Please join me in welcoming 5 precious new lives in Kuno National Park. In the lap of their mother Nirva, 5-year-old brought from Mapesu Reserve in South Africa, these cubs remind us of the beauty and resilience of nature. May they grow strong, swift, and… — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) April 27, 2025 Kuno now has a total of 19 cheetah cubs, apart from the adult cheetahs. The growing cheetah population is a sign that the cheetahs have adapted well to their new environment, and their next generation is set to establish another milestone of success under Project Cheetah, a wildlife official said. A senior wildlife official said the cubs, born to parents from distinct populations in South Africa and Namibia, represent a mixing of genetic lineages which is crucial for the long-term survival of the species. This is because such a mixing reduces the risks associated with inbreeding, such as genetic defects and reduced resilience to diseases. 'A diverse gene pool enhances the population's adaptability to environmental changes and strengthens its overall health,' the officer said.
