Project Cheetah, the ambitious Indian initiative to reintroduce African cheetahs into the wild, marked its first anniversary in September 2023. The project achieved short-term success on several fronts, including a 50% survival rate for imported cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia, the establishment of home ranges, the birth of cubs at Kuno National Park (KNP), and increased revenue for local communities.
First Year Achievements of Project Cheetah
The successes of Project Cheetah after one year can be categorised under survival rate, home range establishment, reproduction, and contribution to local livelihood.
Survival in the Wild: Out of a total of 142 months anticipated in the wilderness, the reintroduced cheetahs collectively spent less than 27 months. Six out of the initial 20 cheetahs died, leading to a 40% decrease in the functional adult cheetah population. Between these, four cubs were born, but only one survived and is presently being reared in captivity.
Home Range Establishment: The goal was for the cheetahs to establish home ranges within the KNP. The successful establishment of these “home ranges” is yet to be determined as three of the cheetahs could not venture outside their enclosures since July 2023.
Reproduction Success: Project Cheetah aimed for successful cheetah reproduction in the wild. One Namibian female named Siyaya gave birth to four cubs, although all of them were born inside a hunting enclosure and could not survive due to the mother’s lack of fitness for the wild.
Contribution to Local Livelihood: The project has led to job generation, contract opportunities, and a rise in land prices around KNP. Importantly, there have been no reported human-cheetah conflicts, suggesting a harmonious coexistence between the reintroduced cheetahs and local communities.
Challenges Faced by Project Cheetah
Project Cheetah has faced numerous challenges, notably around integrity, ethical considerations, paradigm shifts, and habitat carrying capacity.
Integrity Challenges: The project’s integrity was compromised when three captive-raised cheetahs were used as “research subjects” instead of wild cheetahs.
Ethical Considerations: India abstaining from a vote against elephant ivory trade at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) raised questions about the project’s ethical commitments.
Paradigm Shift: The inability to support a genetically sustainable population warranted a shift towards a metapopulation approach. This involves managing distinct cheetah populations in fragmented habitats and recognizing their interdependence for long-term survival and genetic diversity.
Habitat Carrying Capacity: Experts originally predicted that KNP could sustain an estimated 27 cheetahs within its 347 square kilometers and up to 100 animals across its full 3,000 square kilometers. Recent data showing fewer cheetahs than anticipated challenged these estimations.
About the Cheetah Reintroduction Project
The Cheetah Reintroduction Project commenced on September 17, 2022, with the aim of restoring the once-extinct population of cheetahs in India. The project involved translocating cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia to KNP in Madhya Pradesh.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in cooperation with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and cheetah experts from Namibia and South Africa, is responsible for the project’s implementation.
Note: Cheetahs are crepuscular hunters, hunting at dawn and dusk. Female cheetahs have a gestation period of 92-95 days and typically give birth to a litter of three to five cubs.