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APSC Mains GS Paper 3: 2023: Which is the implementing authority of the Project Cheetah in India and which are the collaborating partners? What are the ecological objectives of the project? Give your opinion on the implementation of the project so far. (15 Marks, 250 words)
Model Answer
Launched in 2022, Project Cheetah is the world’s first inter-continental large carnivore translocation initiative, aimed at reviving India’s lost grassland ecosystems 70 years after the species’ local extinction.
Implementing Authority & Collaborating Partners
- Implementing Authority: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the MoEFCC, acting as the nodal agency in coordination with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.
- Knowledge & Technical Partner: Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
- International Collaborators: Cheetah Conservation Fund (Namibia), South African National Parks, and the IUCN.
Ecological Objectives
- Restoring Trophic Cascades: Re-establishing the top predator to naturally regulate herbivore populations (e.g., Chital, Nilgai) and prevent overgrazing of open forests.
- Umbrella Species Conservation: Protecting the cheetah will inadvertently conserve co-predators and endangered grassland fauna like the Caracal, Great Indian Bustard, and Indian Wolf.
- Global Commitments: Aligns with SDG-15 (Life on Land) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for ecosystem restoration.
Opinion on Implementation So Far (An Evaluation)
The implementation has been a mix of historic milestones and severe biological bottlenecks:
- Positive Milestones: The successful inter-continental transport, quarantine, and initial breeding (birth of Indian-born cubs) indicate promising behavioral acclimatization. Expansion plans to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary demonstrate adaptive management.
- Critical Setbacks: The project faces alarming mortality rates (over 20 deaths, including cubs, by mid-2026) driven by radio-collar-induced septicemia, climate mismatch, and high predatory pressure from leopards. Furthermore, Kuno’s spatial carrying capacity was arguably overestimated.
- Way Forward (The Assam Model Parallel): Similar to the success of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 in Assam, which thrived on spatial distribution across multiple protected areas (Pobitora to Manas), Project Cheetah must pivot from a centralized Kuno-centric approach to establishing a geographically distributed meta-population (e.g., Mukundra Hills) to mitigate localized disease and spatial risks.
While initial mortalities are biologically anticipated in such complex interventions, shifting focus from mere numerical survival to securing expansive, continuous landscapes will ultimately determine the project’s long-term legacy.
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