Cheetah
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: NIE
Context: India is set to bring another batch of eight cheetahs from Botswana by December 2025 under Project Cheetah, aimed at strengthening its ongoing reintroduction efforts after the species went extinct in 1952.
About Project Cheetah:
What it is?
• Project Cheetah is the world’s first intercontinental large carnivore translocation programme, launched by the Government of India in 2022 to restore the cheetah population in its historical range.
Launched in: 2022 (officially initiated with the release of eight cheetahs from Namibia into Kuno National Park by Prime Minister of India on September 17, 2022).
• To reintroduce the cheetah—extinct in India since 1952—into suitable habitats.
• To restore grassland ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen prey–predator balance.
• To support global cheetah conservation and boost eco-tourism and local livelihoods.
Currently, India has 27 cheetahs (16 born locally) across Kuno and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuaries.
About the Cheetah:
Scientific Name: Acinonyx jubatus
IUCN Status:
• Cheetah (*Acinonyx jubatus*): Vulnerable
• Asiatic Cheetah (*Acinonyx jubatus venaticus*): Critically Endangered — surviving only in
Physical Features:
• Fastest land mammal, capable of reaching speeds up to 97–113 km/h in short bursts.
• Possesses long, slender limbs, a flexible spine, and non-retractable claws for traction.
• Distinct black “tear marks” from eyes to mouth aid focus and glare reduction during hunts.
• Body length: 1.1–1.4 m; weight: 35–65 kg; lifespan: up to 14 years in the wild, 20 in captivity.
Social Behaviour:
• Generally solitary, except during mating or when females’ rear cubs.
• Males may form coalitions, often made up of siblings, to defend territories and hunt cooperatively.
Reproductive Traits:
• Gestation: ~93 days; litter size: 3–6 cubs (up to 8 recorded).
• High cub mortality (up to 90%) due to predation by lions, leopards, and hyenas.
• Cubs stay with their mothers until about 18–24 months, learning hunting and survival skills.
Ecological Role:
• Prefers open grasslands and savannas, preying mainly on impalas, gazelles, and hares.
• Serves as an indicator species for grassland health and ecosystem balance.