Cheetah reintroduction in India
Over 70 years after the extinction of India's native Asiatic cheetah subspecies, a small number of Southeast African cheetahs have been introduced to India's Kuno National Park as an experiment permitted by the Supreme Court. The goal is to test their adaptation in the long term. India's Asiatic cheetahs, once widespread, gradually disappeared due to habitat loss, prey depletion, and hunting. Discussions on cheetah reintroduction in India began in the 1950s, and proposals were made to Iran and other countries. The current experiment involves importing African cheetahs to Kuno National Park, supervised by wildlife experts. The process has faced mixed scientific reactions, with some viewing it as a valuable effort and others raising concerns about challenges like habitat suitability, human population pressure, and conflicts with larger predators. The ongoing reintroduction attempt is closely monitored, with released cheetahs adapting to the wild while facing mortality risks due to various factors. The project seeks to address the loss of the iconic species from India's landscape and to contribute to global cheetah conservation.