India’s cheetah project to ‘face many challenges’

It is too early to label the reintroduction of cheetahs to India a success, and the project can expect to face more setbacks and challenges.The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) said this in an update on ‘Project Cheetah’ after six cats translocated to India from Namibia and South Africa died.A total of 20 cheetahs (12 from South Africa and eight from Namibia) were translocated to the Kuno National Park in 2022 - more than 70 years after the animals were declared extinct in that country.Well aheadThe CCF said while deaths are never a preferred reality, they were calculated into anticipated losses in the first year of the reintroduction.“Together with the first successful litter, we hold that Project Cheetah is well ahead of any calculations made before the animals were translocated.”The fund said it is not surprised by the numerous challenges facing a reintroduction initiative as unique and ambitious as Project Cheetah. Looking forward, the team can expect to face additional challenges after more cheetahs are released into unfenced areas of Kuno National Park, it said.The CCF said leopards are natural competitors to cheetahs, but the density of leopards at Kuno National Park is far greater than in African ecosystems, which may lead to increased pressure on the cheetahs.Kuno also has other large carnivores including wolves, sloth bears, dhole dogs and occasionally a dispersing tiger that wanders through from a nearby reserve, it said.CapacityWith the cheetah-carrying capacity of the park recently called into question, CCF said this is impossible to determine until the cheetahs have properly established their home ranges.Home ranges can overlap substantially depending on the prey density and several other factors, it added.From its inception, Project Cheetah has considered secondary and tertiary sites for these animals, “so as not to put all of India’s cheetahs in one basket”, the fund said.It noted that whatever location(s) are chosen, the cheetahs will contribute to the restoration of grasslands and the development of large open systems across the landscape, covering a greater swath of the country.“For these reasons, the conservation value of cheetahs to India is priceless, and it makes all the work in facing down the challenges of a reintroduction worthwhile.”

India’s cheetah project to ‘face many challenges’

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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India’s cheetah project to ‘face many challenges’

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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