Madhya Pradesh government has approached to the National Tiger Conservation Authority to revive the plan to reintroduce cheetahs in the State’s Nauradehi sanctuary.
About:
Scientific name: Acinonyx Jubatus.
Common Name(s): Cheetah, Hunting Leopard.
Key features:
It is the fastest land animal. It can reach speeds of 30 m/s.
Its main diet is Antelope, wild pigs, hares and gazelle. Research indicates that the cheetah avoids livestock populations.
Habitat: Cheetah lives in Dryland Ecosystem i.e. Grasslands, Scrublands and Open Forests.
Distribution:
In Asia, they are found only in the arid regions of eastern IRAN in Asia.
In Africa, they are found in Isolated populations in grasslands, scrublands and open forests across the continent, esp. in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Indian scenario:
India was once home to many cheetahs, but became extinct due to over-hunting in India in historical times.
Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. It is the only large mammal to have been declared extinct in our country in recorded history.
Conservation Actions:
IUCN status: The known Cheetah population is roughly 6,700 adult and adolescent animals.
The species is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
Earlier Plan:
According to the earlier plan formulated in 2011, 20 cheetahs were to be translocated to Nauradehi sanctuary located in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district from Namibia in Africa.
Nauradehi was found to be the most suitable area for the cheetahs as its forests are not very dense to restrict the fast movement of the spotted cat. Besides, the prey base for cheetahs is also in abundance at the sanctuary.
Namibia Cheetah Conservation Fund even showed its willingness to donate Cheetah to India. However, the State was not ready to finance the plan contending that it was Centre’s project.
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