India-Botswana formally announced translocation of eight cheetahs to India as a part of ‘Project Cheetah’.
About Project Cheetah
- About: Launched in 2022, Project Cheetah aims to translocate African cheetahs to India. It is the world’s first intercontinental large wild carnivore translocation initiative.
- In 2022, eight cheetahs from Namibia were translocated to Kuno National Park, followed by twelve cheetahs from South Africa in 2023.
- Implementing agency: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
- NTCA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006.
- Cheetah Project Steering Committee: Established by NTCA in 2023 to oversee, evaluate, and advise on implementation of Project Cheetah.
- It operates under the umbrella of Project Tiger.
Significance of Re-introducing Cheetah in India
- Ecological Restoration: Cheetahs are apex predators and play a vital role in maintaining the balance of prey species and the overall health of grassland ecosystems.
- Biodiversity Conservation: Cheetah will serve as a flagship to save not only its prey-base, but also other endangered species of the grassland and semi-arid ecosystems.
About Cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus Venaticus)
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