India is gearing up for the next thrilling chapter of Project Cheetah, the ambitious initiative to bring the world’s fastest land predator back to its homeland after seven decades of absence. By the end of the year, officials hope to translocate 8–10 cheetahs each from Botswana, Namibia, and Kenya to boost the population in India.
Currently, the country is home to 27 cheetahs — 11 brought in from South Africa and Namibia in two batches, and 16 born on Indian soil. The flagship hub remains Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a 748 sq km core area within a larger 3,500 sq km cheetah-compatible landscape, where around 15 cheetahs roam free today.
To prepare for the incoming cats, authorities have earmarked two additional release sites: the Banni Grasslands in Gujarat and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Both regions closely mirror the climate of southern Africa, ensuring the cheetahs can adapt quickly.
Survival rates at Kuno have been a major success story. Cubs boast a 61% survival rate, far above the global average of 40%, while adults have an 85.7% survival rate in the project’s second year — remarkable numbers for a species known for high infant mortality.
The project, launched in September 2022, aims to create a self-sustaining cheetah population in India, where the species vanished in 1952. With new translocations and additional habitats, officials say Project Cheetah is entering a critical second phase of expansion.
The latest milestone came on September 18, when a female cheetah named Dheera was introduced to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district — the project’s second release site. At 7.5 years old, Dheera was transported from Kuno in a specially designed, air-conditioned vehicle, ensuring her comfort during the seven-hour journey, carefully supervised by veterinarians, field staff, and senior forest officials.
“The operation began at dawn in Kuno National Park. Dheera, calm yet alert inside her crate, arrived at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary around 2 pm,” said an official statement.
With Dheera’s release and fresh cheetahs on the way, India’s bold experiment in conservation is accelerating full throttle, giving the iconic cheetah a second chance to sprint across its lost homeland.
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