UPSC Editorial Analysis: Roaring Revival: The Return of the Cheetah

General Studies-3; Topic: Biodiversity & Environment – Conservation.

Introduction:

India’s cheetah story has shifted from extinction to experimental revival, marking a bold turn in modern conservation. With 30 cheetahs now in Kuno and more arriving from Botswana, the project enters a critical consolidation phase. Plans for a metapopulation across Kuno, Gandhi Sagar and Nauradehi position India as a global testbed for large-carnivore rewilding.

Trends of Cheetah in India and the World

• Global trend: Cheetahs now occupy <10% of their historical range; global numbers hover around 7,000–7,500 and the IUCN lists them as Vulnerable, with some populations Critically Endangered.

• Asiatic cheetah: Survives only as a tiny, highly threatened population in Iran, while India’s native population went extinct in 1952.

• In India: From complete absence of wild cheetahs for 70+ years, India now holds 30 cheetahs in Kuno with a target of 60–70 across 17,000 km² by 2032.

• Landscape trend: Expansion beyond Kuno to Gandhi Sagar and now Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary marks a shift from single-site reintroduction to landscape-level metapopulation management.

History of the Cheetah in India:

• Historically, cheetahs ranged from Punjab to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat/Rajasthan to Bengal, inhabiting scrub, dry grasslands, and savanna landscapes.

• They were heavily used for coursing and hunting, and over-exploitation, combined with habitat loss and prey decline, triggered population collapse.

• The last confirmed wild cheetahs were shot in Koriya (Chhattisgarh) in 1947; the species was declared extinct in India in 1952.

• For decades, proposals for reintroduction remained on paper until scientific action plans, Supreme Court directions, and diplomatic MoUs with African nations paved the way.

About Project Cheetah:

• What it is? A science-driven, inter-continental species reintroduction programme to restore cheetahs to India’s grassland–savanna ecosystems, led by MoEFCC and NTCA.

• A science-driven, inter-continental species reintroduction programme to restore cheetahs to India’s grassland–savanna ecosystems, led by MoEFCC and NTCA.

• Objectives:

• Establish a viable, self-sustaining metapopulation of ~60–70 cheetahs in ~17,000 km² (Kuno–Gandhi Sagar–Nauradehi landscape). Use cheetah as a flagship/umbrella species to restore neglected grasslands and open forests. Enhance carbon sinks, biodiversity, and ecological resilience as part of India’s CBD and SDG-15 commitments.

• Establish a viable, self-sustaining metapopulation of ~60–70 cheetahs in ~17,000 km² (Kuno–Gandhi Sagar–Nauradehi landscape).

• Use cheetah as a flagship/umbrella species to restore neglected grasslands and open forests.

• Enhance carbon sinks, biodiversity, and ecological resilience as part of India’s CBD and SDG-15 commitments.

• Key Features:

• World’s first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore: 20 cheetahs from Namibia & South Africa (2022–23) + 8 from Botswana (2025). Kuno NP selected after relocation of 24 villages (over 1,500 families), creating 6,258 ha of inviolate habitat. Phase-wise soft release from quarantine and bomas; strict adherence to IUCN 2013 guidelines. Intensive monitoring using GPS collars, camera traps, distance sampling and a structured action plan. Integrated into Centrally Sponsored Scheme – Project Tiger, with ~₹39 crore for Phase-1 and additional funds for prey augmentation and infrastructure.

• World’s first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore: 20 cheetahs from Namibia & South Africa (2022–23) + 8 from Botswana (2025).

• Kuno NP selected after relocation of 24 villages (over 1,500 families), creating 6,258 ha of inviolate habitat.

• Phase-wise soft release from quarantine and bomas; strict adherence to IUCN 2013 guidelines.

• Intensive monitoring using GPS collars, camera traps, distance sampling and a structured action plan.

• Integrated into Centrally Sponsored Scheme – Project Tiger, with ~₹39 crore for Phase-1 and additional funds for prey augmentation and infrastructure.

Need for Cheetah Reintroduction in India:

• Grassland restoration: Cheetahs act as a flagship for grasslands, a biome long treated as “wasteland” in policy and diverted for agriculture and infrastructure.

• Trophic balance: Reintroducing a mid-sized cursorial predator can help regulate herbivore populations and restore ecological processes in open habitats.

• Biodiversity & climate goals: Supports India’s commitments under CBD, SDG-15, Mission LiFE, and national biodiversity targets.

• Conservation diplomacy & soft power: Demonstrates India’s role as a global conservation leader, especially via the International Big Cat Alliance.

• Community livelihoods & eco-tourism: Creates local jobs, eco-tourism revenue, and Cheetah Mitra networks, linking conservation with rural development.

Initiatives Taken:

• Translocation & Breeding: 20 cheetahs from Namibia & South Africa (2022–23) + 8 from Botswana (2025). Early breeding success: multiple litters from Jwala, Aasha, Gamini, Nirva, Veera; Mukhi (India-born) now a mother of 5 cubs – key 2nd-generation milestone.

• 20 cheetahs from Namibia & South Africa (2022–23) + 8 from Botswana (2025).

• Early breeding success: multiple litters from Jwala, Aasha, Gamini, Nirva, Veera; Mukhi (India-born) now a mother of 5 cubs – key 2nd-generation milestone.

• Landscape Expansion: Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary prepared as second site; Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary being readied as third, with strong prey base and expanding core–buffer planning.

• Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary prepared as second site;

• Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary being readied as third, with strong prey base and expanding core–buffer planning.

• Community Engagement & Livelihoods: 450 Cheetah Mitras, 380 direct jobs, safari guides, trackers, Suraksha Shramiks, eco-development works in 100+ villages. 5% eco-tourism revenue earmarked for local communities.

• 450 Cheetah Mitras, 380 direct jobs, safari guides, trackers, Suraksha Shramiks, eco-development works in 100+ villages.

• 5% eco-tourism revenue earmarked for local communities.

• International Collaboration: MoUs with Namibia & South Africa; technical training, joint capture, quarantine, and release operations. International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) launched with HQ in India and ₹150 crore support to coordinate global big-cat conservation.

• MoUs with Namibia & South Africa; technical training, joint capture, quarantine, and release operations.

• International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) launched with HQ in India and ₹150 crore support to coordinate global big-cat conservation.

Challenges Associated:

• High mortality risk & adaptation: Initial deaths due to disease, territorial conflicts, or management errors can draw criticism and threaten public support.

• Space & prey constraints at Kuno: Limited area and overlapping home ranges mean quick expansion to new sites is essential.

• Coexistence with apex predators: Nauradehi already has ~25 tigers, wolves, wild dogs and panthers – inter-specific competition and predation on cheetah cubs are real risks.

• Fire & habitat degradation: Dry deciduous forests, grassland fires (graziers, mahua/tendu collectors) and illicit teak extraction threaten habitat quality.

• Long-term funding & political continuity: A 10–15-year metapopulation goal needs stable finances, monitoring, and policy support beyond electoral cycles.

• Genetic & health security: Maintaining genetic diversity and preventing disease outbreaks in a small, founder-dependent population is a complex, continuous task.

Way Ahead:

• Landscape-level planning, not site-centric: Integrate Kuno–Gandhi Sagar–Nauradehi as a connected cheetah landscape with secure corridors and prey management.

• Scientific risk management: Model cheetah–tiger–leopard interactions in Nauradehi; consider zoning, prey enhancement, and intensive monitoring of kills and conflicts.

• Community-centric conservation: Deepen benefit-sharing (eco-tourism, jobs, compensation), include Gram Sabhas in decision-making, and expand Cheetah Mitra networks.

• Policy reframing of grasslands: Recognise grasslands as “ecologically sensitive ecosystems”, not wasteland; protect them under legal and planning frameworks.

• International science collaboration: Continue genetic, telemetry, disease surveillance and ecological research with African partners and global institutions.

• Transparent evaluation: Periodic independent reviews of survival, breeding success, welfare, and socio-economic impacts to recalibrate strategies.

Conclusion:

Project Cheetah is a high-risk, high-reward effort to restore a lost ecological link after seven decades. Its success hinges on healthy habitats, empowered communities, and sustained scientific and political support. If executed wisely, India’s grasslands can once again resonate with the cheetah’s return, offering a global model for science-driven, inclusive rewilding.

Can the cheetahs help India’s grasslands?