Study titled ‘Delineating the environmental justice implications of an experimental cheetah introduction project in India’ uses Project Cheetah as a case study to exemplify broader issues applicable to rewilding and restoration projects.
- Project Cheetah aims to establish African cheetahs in India, where the Asiatic subspecies went extinct.
- 20 cheetahs were introduced to Kuno National Park (KNP), but high mortality rates (40% adult, 29.4% cub) and health concerns have impacted the project.
Key issues highlighted with Project Cheetah
- Ecological mismatch: Significant differences in climate, prey, and habitat between India and Africa pose challenges for long-term cheetah survival.
- Stressful conditions: Frequent chemical immobilizations induce severe stress in cheetahs.
- Most survivors remain captive; no established free-ranging population exists in KNP.
- Unsustainable Cheetah imports: African cheetah populations are already vulnerable (approx. 6,500 mature individuals).
- Reliance on annual imports of 12 cheetahs is unsustainable and raises ethical concerns.
- Unfair social impacts: Due to minimal involvement of local communities and past displacements of indigenous people for conservation.
Key Recommendations
- Study calls for Justice-informed approach for a more participatory and inclusive conservation model.
- Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework emphasizes equity and justice in conservation.
- Local knowledge: Respect local knowledge systems to focus on sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife.
