Cheetah Reintroduction in India

[Ovie11]

Cheetah, finally to land in India 

Wildlife lovers have reasons to be gung-ho during the National Wildlife week (1-7 October) with the decision at Government level for entry of Cheetah in to India.  (The feature image features an African Cheetah clicked by Lauri Marker)

          By Harsh Vardhan 
  Cheetah comprise the species which became extinct in the country during fifties. The lone person who raised a loud voice for its re-entry in the country is Dr.  Ranjitsinhji, a prince from Wankaner in Saurashtra, 1961 IAS batch and a renowned wildlife expert who has chaired numerous panels to give a new prestige to wild life  and written extensively on how to step up nation’s economy through sustainable living with such species.

Dr. Ranjitsinhji was nominated as the chairman of a committee by the Supreme Court of India end January 2019 to recommend ideal habitats where Cheetahs were to be introduced in India. A video-meeting among officials and this expert took place on 30 September 2020 to chart out a well-defined procedure. 

Dr. YV Jhala, Dean at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), has been nominated to head the Cheetah-team to inspect habitats where this predator should be rehabilitated. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already been appointed as the new Cheetah-Office in India vide the Supreme Court Order. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has sanctioned a sum of Rs 2.5-crore to WII to facilitate this wild cat’s entry into India.   

Where shall be cheetah’s new house in India? 
Where shall Cheetah be allocated a piece of land in India? Madhya Pradesh has suggested Nauradehi Sanctuary (between Jabalpur and Sagar) besides Kuno Palpur (north of Shivpuri, close by Gwalior).   

Rajasthan wants this wild cat to reside in a landscape covering Mukund Darra, Rana Pratap Sagar and also Gandhi Sagar which lies in Madhya Pradesh. It aims at an inter-state Cheetah-Reserve. Interestingly Bihar, which was nowhere in sight for this cat, has now laid its claim on Cheetah.   

Jhala is a proven scientific horse in understanding and experimenting with wild species. He has  already given an account of WII’s  capability by heading the ex-situ breeding of Great Indian Bustard in the Thar Desert (2019-20). He has an eye over Shahgarh Bulge in Jaisalmer district, a large area having least anthropogenic pressure but bordering Pakistan. Cheetah needs extensive open and  scrub habitat with proficient grass cover and abundant feed. Nowhere in India large tracts of such habitats are in sight for this cat as it enjoys in its African homes. Feed quotient faces a big question mark besides village population to face the brunt in the suggested areas.    

[b]From where Cheetah will be air-lifted? [/b]

[b]The Asiatic Cheetah survives in Iran only. It is unwilling to part with it to any country. The lone option therefore will be the African Cheetah. South Africa and Namibia are apparently willing to export to India. Ms. Lauri Marker, founder-head of Cheetah Conservation Foundation in Namibia, was in India last February and discussed such aspects with some key players.    [/b]

[b]The forest authorities appear cock-a-hoop. Have they re-examined  the impact this fastest running predator will receive in Indian conditions? More importantly, what will the Indian countryside feel when another predator will be picking up their sheep, goat, poultry, etc? Lauri has created an example for compensation for such losses in Namibia and also designed Cheetah-attack-proof pans for livestock. What plan the Indian foresters have chalked out prior to offering a rose-garland to this alien wild animal? And who shall check their home-work? Forest Secretaries, Principal Forest Secretaries, Ministers of Forest and also Chief Ministers? Such questions have dogged the Indian rural psyche: Tigers vs the village sector. Cheetah to add to worries or solve them?    [/b]


[b]https://www.ebnw.in/nature-environment/cheetah-finally-to-land-in-india/[/b] Reply