President Appreciates Project Cheetah Support Context: President interacted with Cheetah Mitras and members of the Sahariya tribe at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district. She appreciated their contribution to Project Cheetah and said that the active participation of local communities is playing an important role in the success of the ambitious conservation programme. Project Cheetah Project Cheetah is India's premier wildlife conservation initiative focused on bringing back cheetahs, a species that disappeared from the country in 1952. It is a landmark ecological effort, making India the first nation to attempt the reintroduction of an extinct large carnivore through translocation from another continent. History and Background The cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in 1952. Project Cheetah was launched in 2022. The first group of cheetahs was brought from Namibia and released into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Another group arrived from South Africa in 2023. The project is being executed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with support from Indian and international wildlife specialists. Objectives of Project Cheetah To restore cheetahs to India after an absence of over seven decades. To develop a self-sustaining and free-ranging cheetah population in suitable habitats. To revive and conserve grassland and savannah ecosystems, which have received relatively little conservation attention. To enhance biodiversity by restoring the ecological role of a top predator. To generate eco-tourism opportunities and improve livelihoods for local communities through their participation in conservation efforts. To reinforce India's position as a global leader in wildlife protection, species recovery, and ecosystem restoration. Sahariya Tribe The Sahariya are recognized as one of India's Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). They are known by several alternative names, including Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, and Sahra. Habitat and Settlements The tribe primarily inhabits forested and rural areas of Madhya Pradesh…
