Human poaching, animal attacks: Problems galore as India readies to welcome cheetahs

New Delhi, Sep 13: Come September 17, cheetahs that went extinct in India in 1952, will find a way back in the country in a new home in the Kuno-Palpur National Park (KNP). While the stage is set for a grand welcome, a series of concerns are also plaguing the authorities about the future of this historic move. Instances of leopards' presence near the cheetah enclosure and poaching incidents have raised concerns over the reintroduced species in the new habitat.

Kuno National Park, which has a good leopard population is a big worry for authorities in the cheetah reintroduction project.

The major threat to cheetah survival included conflict with leopards, striped hyenas and human poaching.

"To be honest, we do not know how cheetahs will interact with wolves and sloth bears, but we do not anticipate substantial cheetah mortality to these species. Striped hyenas will not kill adult cheetahs, but they are likely to chase them off their kills and potentially kill their young," Vincent van der Merwe, manager of Cheetah Metapopulation Project at The Metapopulation Initiative in South Africa, told Down To Earth.

Experts believe that at some point of time when the two big cats, leopards and cheetahs, come together, there are chances of an attack and death too.

"The cheetah may kill the leopard, the leopard may kill the Cheetah, but there are fair chances of an attack. But what is relieving is that there are no lions or tigers in Kuno park," he added.

However, the cheetah with excellent vision and speed will likely be able to escape a leopard attack.

Meanwhile, there were reports of dozen camera traps that have mysteriously gone missing from Kuno park. This is believed to be the handiwork of poachers. But the incident has come under scrutiny, questioning the safety of the Cheetahs.

The last cheetah died in the country in 1947 in Korea district which was earlier part of Madhya Pradesh. The government officially declared the Cheetah extinct in 1952.

However, the Narendra Modi government has decided to reintroduce cheetahs, under the 'Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India'. Project Cheetah aims to bring back independent India's only extinct large mammal - the cheetah.

The re-introduction plan can boost the overall cheetah conservation effort worldwide, not just as sub-species in India.

Experts believe it is worth taking a calculated risk here to see just how the project can benefit the cheetah population as a whole.