Cheetah Reintroduction in India

[Sanju]

(02-05-2019, 05:10 AM)smedz Wrote: Cheetahs need to be reintroduced to India, like the tiger in the forest, they're a key part of the grassland ecosystem. If brought back, they'd control the populations of chinkara and blackbuck.

 Yes, you are 200 % right.

Tiger and "Indian" Leopard are the keystone species of forest and other closed type of habitats which are dominant and are all over the subcontinent.

Where as the savanna, plains and grasslands are extremely rare and going to vanish in a few years about only 1% of total country's area remains now. In that 1%, most of it is unprotected and Indian govt never gave priority to conserve grasslands but some of them are still remaining in Deccan plateau, western India and Central India and there is Thar desert eco region in Rajasthan. In them some small land bits of them are labelled as wildlife sanctuaries and reserves.

Cheetah, Lion, Great Indian Bustard and Indian wolf were the keystone species of this landscapes. Now because of this ill mindset of people and Govt, once the country whole with open environment part of Gondwana, now turned empty of grassland wilderness and so are its fauna, key stone species and other adapted animals and herbivores.

Remember how "Yellow Stone wolf Reintroduction", helped restored the whole landscape. others like Tiger canyons, Loahu valley reserve, Panna, Sariska etc.., ofcourse, the first two are filling lion's niche in Karoo of south Africa as "introduced alien species".

See people, how easily introduced tiger Africa as an alien species but little negotiation oft that coz it is BAD (bad don't have opposition) even from IUCN but whereas to "reintroduce" native cat species back to homeland i.e.., cheetah there is lot of negotiation, criticism and discussion coz it is GOOD (Good always has opposition and negativity coz it is bitter but bad is sweet and tasty). sick minds of political parties.

Hence, for the first time, there is an idea to bring back the only extinct big mammalian carnivore in recent times and Lion to India. Yes, Lion too should be brought to India, Gujarat is not India, there are other states too.


Yes they will control herbivore populations without showing versatility like leopard from playing roles in other ecosystems and solely for Grasslands food chain. This will make, herbivore grazing and browsing on plant life balanced and dynamics are stabilized for conservation and protection and prosperity.

(02-05-2019, 05:10 AM)smedz Wrote: This can also bring in more tourists, I mean think about it, what other country would have Cheetahs, Lions, tigers, leopards, and snow leopards? Seriously, in the old days, India wasn't just the kingdom of the tiger, it was the kingdom of big cats.

Yeah! not just more people will come in tonnes, film crews, local and international tourists, adventurers, biologists, experts. you name it.

You forgot, Eurasian lynx and clouded leopard, Jungle cat and rare Fishing cat alongside Indian leopards, Indian lions, Asian cheetahs, Bengal tigers, snow leopards, Pallas cat, Rusty-spotted cat, Leopard cat, Asian golden cat, Asian steppe wildcat or Indian desert cat or Asiatic wildcat, Caracal and Marbled Cat. A Total of 16!!!!

Once, it was home to all these and cheetah extinct and Lion going to extinct. It was a kingdom of Cats. Reply