Cheetah Reintroduction in India

[smedz]

(03-12-2019, 03:55 PM)Sanju Wrote: Cheetahs from Africa to India to repopulate the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary

Green light for the reintroduction of cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia into Madhya Pradesh (@smedz)

[March 12, 2019]

*This image is copyright of its original author

A rare Photo of Asian Cheetah in 20th Century India.

Until the 20th century, the Asian cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus venaticus ) was widespread in much of southern Asia, from the Arabian peninsula to India, and is currently one of the rarest carnivores on the planet, with less than 50 individuals surviving only in the highlands of central Iran.

In India the last sighting of a live cheetah dates back to 1951. Now project that has been talked about for years seems destined to soon become reality in the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary according to Project Cheetah by NDA govt (Congress ), in the Sagar district, which with its 1,197 km2 of area is the largest protected natural area of Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India, which is considered the most suitable place to reintroduce cheetah into the subcontinent.

After the recent environmental interventions, the area would be able to sustain and restoration without problems as a  population of about 50 of these very fast felines will be thriving there.

The project plans to reintroduce 30 cheetahs that will be imported from Namibia and South Africa on a date yet to be established (this month or next month).

The authorities of Madhya Pradesh point out that "The choice to introduce African cheetahs is due to the impossibility of obtaining specimens from Iran".

But the green light for the operation came from the IUCN, the National Board of Wildlife (NBW) and the Supreme Court of India, and only the completion of a formality in South Africa and Namibia is underway and then the cheetahs will be captured and transferred to India.

For four months a committee of 15 researchers from the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary - which includes the State Forest Research Institute of Madhya Pradesh, the Jabalpur Veterinary Medical College and wildlife scientists - has been working on this, evaluating the impact and changes shown on climate and biodiversity in the Sanctuary after Cheetah extinction.

The team confirms that "The Nauradehi sanctuary is great for cheetahs which can restore the Nauradehi Environment".

The area destined to host the felines extends over 500 km2 and of these 400 km2 are Prairies or Pampas like Tropical grasslands and Savanna in good part restored.

In addition, several areas rich in wildlife have been identified, so that the cheetahs have enough prey to hunt. The area also contains water resources necessary to sustain prey and predator. The team of scientists, backed by former or ex- soldiers, will monitor the cheetahs with cameras traps, drones.

This is great! I honestly thought this would never happen, but here we are! With the return of the cheetah, the ecosystem will be healthier, and some animals will definitely be in the need for speed. Reply