Project Cheetah: India’s Cheetah Conservation Initiative Context: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister released two female cheetahs brought from Botswana into an open forest in the Kuno National Park following the completion of their quarantine period. The reintroduction of cheetahs brought from Nigeria, South Africa, and now Botswana is achieving consistent success, and today Madhya Pradesh has earned nationwide recognition as the ‘Cheetah State. This will give impetus to ‘Project Cheetah’ and add another important chapter to India's wildlife conservation history. The objective of the project is to restore the endangered animal species in the state, increase their numbers, and prepare them for free hunting and roaming. Project Cheetah Project Cheetah is India’s premier wildlife conservation initiative focused on bringing back cheetahs, which were declared extinct in the country in 1952. The programme represents a landmark ecological effort, as India became the first nation to undertake the intercontinental relocation and reintroduction of an extinct large carnivore species. The Government of India officially launched the project in 2022. The first group of African cheetahs was translocated from Namibia to Kuno National Park in 2022. A second batch of cheetahs was brought from South Africa in 2023 to strengthen the reintroduction programme. The project is being carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with assistance from Indian and international wildlife specialists. Major Objectives of Project Cheetah To reintroduce cheetahs into the Indian ecosystem after an absence of over seven decades. To create a self-sustaining and genetically healthy cheetah population in natural habitats over the long term. To revive and conserve grassland and savannah ecosystems, which have historically received limited conservation attention in India. To enhance biodiversity by restoring the role of a top predator within the ecological food chain. To encourage eco-tourism opportunities and support livelihood generation…
