Cheetah Reintroduction in India

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Rajasthan: Wildlife lovers against Cheetah project in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve 


JAIPUR: The exercise taken by the state forest department to introduce cheetah in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) by neglecting tiger management has invited sharp criticism from wildlife experts, animal lovers and environmentalists. Many accused the over-ambitious forest department of jeopardising the tiger reintroduction programme, which started in 2018 with much fanfare. 



In the campaign ‘Say No To Cheetah’ initiated by wildlife lovers
 in the state, it was highlighted that the department overlooked tiger management problems and conducted rapid site assessment for cheetah on November 22 and 23, 2020. 



Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, a local advisory committee member said, “After spending approximately Rs 30 crore of public money to develop infrastructure, tigers were reintroduced at MHTR.

Unfortunately, mysterious deaths of tigers and cubs were reported. But, it is not the end of the road. The department should have worked on a recovery plan to relocate tigers.”  



Due to forest department’s apathy and lack of political will, the lone tigress MT-4 is living a miserable life in an enclosure without a companion. “The four-and-a-half-year-old tigress is living a caged life for past one year. The forest department should have expedited deliberations with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and make efforts to seek permission to bring a male tiger. However, no move was made in this direction,” said a state wildlife board member, who wished not to be named.  



The technical note, “Assessment of Cheetah Introduction Sites and Proposed Actions, 2021” reads for the area outside the enclosure, MHTR would require investments on a large scale in terms of reducing anthropogenic pressures through village relocation, grazing control of goats and cattle and mitigating infrastructure (roadways and railway). 



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