Return Of Extinct Cheetah in India

Wild Cheetahs were locally extinct in 1952 in India, Today Asiatic cheetah is a critically endangered species of wild cat that only surviving in Iran. India is again home to the fastest land animal on earth, The African Cheetah.

Last year in 2022, Eight African cheetahs were airlifted to India from Namibia and released in Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh. After that in year 2023, 12 more cheetahs arrived in India from South Africa making a count as 23 after birth of new babies.

Cheetah Reintroduction in India

Cheetah reintroduction in India is a successful attempt to introduce African cheetah in India. The project is to introduce small population of African cheetahs, 8 cheetahs from Namibia that includes 5 female and 3 male.In year 2023 12 more cheetahs from South Africa were released into the wild of Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Kuno National Park

Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh offers an ideal habitat for African cheetahs, as part of the programme to reintroduce the feline in India. The park is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion and also selected as a possible site to the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project.

Shahgarh landscape

Shahgarh landscape in Jaisalmer, Nauradehi Sanctuary and Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary are also selected as most suitable sites for the reintroduction of Cheetah in India. In Shahgarh Landscape houses Chinkara deer and will be the primary prey for cheetah in the region.

Asiatic Cheetah

The Asiatic cheetah were used to hunt blackbuck on an open grasslands also grazed by large herds of chinkara and chital. Blackbuck is currently the fastest land animal in India and Cheetah along with caracal cat and Asiatic lions are prey upon these deers.

Cheetahs are not from the family of Big Cats found in India, The main wild cats of India are Tiger, Lion, Leopard and great wild cats includes caracal cat, jungle cat and other small wild cats like spotted and desert cats.

Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

Asiatic Lion reintroduction project is to find a second population home for Asiatic lion of Gir Forest National Park from Gujarat. Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was selected as one of the possible site for Gujarat lions. The Gujarat state government plan is to reintroduce a pride of wild Indian lions from Gir Forest to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary.

Barda Wildlife Sanctuary

Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is located 100 kilometres from Gir Forest National Park and home to wild herbivores blue bull, chinkara and blackbuck but the lions are largely preyed upon sambar (Rusa unicolor) and chital (Axis axis).