With 17 Big Cats In The Wild, Project Cheetah’s Next Hurdle — Livestock Threats

Unlike their native African landscape, Kuno suffers from a shortage of prey, and a geography that differs significantly from their homeland which the big cats are still acclimatising to. But with 17 cheetahs now in the wild, and more to be released soon, the question arises—is the region prepared for future human-cheetah interactions?

MORE SUCH INTERACTIONS LIKELY

The Madhya Pradesh government provides compensation for livestock lost due to wild animal attacks. “It appears that people were not made aware. More so, it exposed the failure of the Cheetah mitra programme," said MP-based wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, emphasising that three years since the launch, locals are still waiting for improved livelihood opportunities.

As many as 20 adult cheetahs were airlifted to Kuno National Park from Namibia and South Africa as part of India’s multi-crore wildlife translocation project—also the world’s biggest. But only 12 adults survived, along with 14 captive-born cubs. After extended captivity, multiple recaptures, and several tranquilisations later, six adult cheetahs and 11 of their cubs have now been released into the wild.

But Kuno’s prey base has dwindled, as acknowledged in the government’s last progress report. In 2021, at least 23 chitals were estimated per sq km in Kuno, but it fell to just 17 per sq km in 2024, as per report. The latest stone-throwing incident has also raised concerns among wildlife experts.

“Unlike leopards and tigers, these cheetahs, due to their long-term captivity and constant following, are accustomed to human presence. More such interactions are likely in the future. Still, it is very unusual for the cheetahs to attack a prey animal when surrounded by so many boisterous people. This seems to suggest that the cats are desperate for food," said senior wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Dr Ravi Chellam. “It has also been quite clear right from the beginning that there is not enough suitable habitat and space for the cheetahs to range free in the wild."

Tushar Dash, forest and resource governance expert, pointed out that such conflicts (human-wildlife) are on the rise across states, and could have been avoided if people’s rights over the forest land, which they have inhabited for generations, had not been undermined. “Proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), which gives Gram Sabhas decision-making power over forest management is crucial," he added.

WHAT NEXT?

With the government’s project already in its third year, preparations are in full swing to bring the next batch of African cheetahs to supplement the current population. Initial challenges notwithstanding, diplomatic talks are on with South Africa, Kenya, as well as Botswana.

MP’s Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is also being readied for release of the remaining cheetahs. “We have learnt from our experiences and acted accordingly. And we will continue to do that to make this project a success," said NTCA member-secretary Dr GS Bhardwaj.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh forest department has alerted the rest of its cheetah monitoring teams.

“A team was present at the spot, but it was not equipped to handle the situation. We will now train our rapid response teams to address such incidents. As we track cheetahs 24X7, we know their location at any given time. Also, since the village was not covered by the Cheetah Mitra initiative, we plan to expand it as the animals roam further," said Subhoranjan Sen, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF –Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh.

The five cheetahs have since then moved into the forests and all are fully healthy and protected, the environment ministry said in a statement.