Cheetah Day: PM lauds project for bringing big cats from Namibia, SA

It has been three years since the launch of Project Cheetah, under which eight cheetahs arrived from Namibia in September 2022, followed by 12 from South Africa in February 2023. While the government projects the reintroduction of the big cat as one of the pioneering wildlife projects, it still faces skepticism from experts.

On the occasion of International Cheetah Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said three years ago, the government launched Project Cheetah with the aim of safeguarding the animal and restoring the ecosystem in which it could flourish.

“It was also an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and strengthen our biodiversity. India is proud to be home to several cheetahs, and a significant number of them are born on Indian soil. Many of them now thrive in the Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. It is heartening to see cheetah tourism growing in popularity as well. I encourage more wildlife enthusiasts from across the world to visit India and witness the cheetah in all its splendour,” he said.

The Prime Minister said protecting wildlife and living in harmony with nature are integral to India’s civilisational ethos and we see that spirit alive today in these efforts.

“Our progress in cheetah conservation has been possible only through the collective support of our people, especially our dedicated Cheetah Mitras,” he said.

Currently, there are around 32 cheetahs, including 21 born on Indian soil, across major sanctuaries. However, several big cats brought from Namibia and South Africa died due to various reasons.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, who has been closely watching the development of the project, said, “Many Cheetahs are in the enclosure and that could be considered a success. But if we see their introduction in an open forest, it is yet to be successful.”

The government has also maintained secrecy around the project. Recently, the Madhya Pradesh State Information Commission issued a show-cause notice to the state Forest Department for denying information on Cheetah under the RTI.

The controversy dates back to 2024 when Dubey sought information regarding cheetah management, including correspondence related to Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Sheopur and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur. The information was denied under the same provisions under which information related to national security is withheld.

Dubey also pointed out that in Gandhisagar wildlife sanctuary two male Cheetahs were introduced which hindered breeding. “This is against wildlife protocol. This raises questions on their competence,” he said.

In an RTI it was also revealed that senior forest officials who went to South Africa to learn about cheetah management lamented about the non-availability of Indian food there, in a feedback.