Govt defends Project Cheetah, terms criticism ‘ideological, sensationalised’

Amid mounting criticism, a new paper authored by scientists and officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has defended Project Cheetah, asserting that much of the backlash is rooted in ‘ideological biases and sensationalised narratives’.

Published in ‘Conservation Science Journal’, the study titled ‘Beyond Rhetoric: Debunking Myths and Misinformation on India’s Project Cheetah’ seeks to address widespread scepticism about the ambitious reintroduction of cheetahs into India. The authors, including senior NTCA officials, emphasised that the project followed extensive global consultation and scientific due diligence.

According to the paper, a multi-stakeholder meeting in September 2009 brought together global species experts, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) office-bearers, NGOs, academic experts and Indian officials, where consensus was reached to move forward with the reintroduction plan. Prior to the cheetahs’ arrival, conservation managers from Namibia and South Africa inspected Kuno National Park to assess site readiness.

“Project Cheetah represents a science-led conservation endeavour in India. Yet, misinformation sometimes clouds public discourse,” said Dr Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj, Additional Director General (Project Tiger) and co-author. He added that the project aligns with IUCN protocols and ecological principles, despite persistent criticism.

Responding to claims of cheetahs being kept in captivity, the authors stated that the animals were not confined to artificial enclosures or reliant on human provisioning. They also denied reports of forced evictions of local communities, noting that only one village was relocated since the project’s 2023 inception — and that, too, in compliance with legal procedures.

The paper acknowledges the inherent risks and slow nature of wildlife reintroductions, but points to ‘significant progress within 2.5 years’ as evidence of the project’s promising trajectory. India is currently in talks with Namibia, South Africa and Botswana for future cheetah translocations, while additional reintroduction sites like Gujarat’s Banni Grasslands and Madhya Pradesh’s Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary are being readied.

So far, 20 cheetahs have been brought to Kuno — eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023. Eight cheetahs — three females and five males — have died, sparking concern among wildlife activists.

The paper argues that such mortality is not unexpected. “Some level of mortality is an inherent aspect of conservation translocations and should not be viewed as project failure,” it states.

However, the study steers clear of addressing several contentious issues. It omits mention of the drowning of male cheetah Pawan in August 2024 and does not respond to criticism over repeated tranquilisations or the government’s rejection of RTI requests on the project, which were denied on grounds of ‘national security’.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, a vocal critic, questioned the project’s transparency. “Over 110 cheetahs were tranquilised without the required approval from the Chief Wildlife Warden, which violates the Wildlife Protection Act,” he said.

Despite the gaps, the NTCA paper frames Project Cheetah as a pioneering conservation model navigating complex challenges — and one that, it argues, deserves time and scientific space to evolve.