In the heart of India’s grasslands, a bold conservation experiment is unfolding. Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, aims to restore a species lost to the Indian subcontinent for over seven decades: the cheetah.
Once a majestic predator roaming from Punjab to Tamil Nadu, the cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. Today, with 31 cheetahs in Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, this groundbreaking initiative has captured global attention. However, the journey has been fraught with challenges, from high mortality rates to prey shortages and logistical delays. This blog post chronicles the extinction of the cheetah, the plan to bring it back, major events, challenges, births, future plans, and the current situation as of July 9, 2025.
The Extinction of the Cheetah in India
The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), once abundant across India, was a symbol of speed and grace, deeply embedded in the country’s cultural history—its name derived from the Sanskrit word chitraka (spotted). From the Mughal era, where Emperor Akbar kept 1,000 cheetahs for hunting, to the British colonial period, cheetahs faced relentless pressure from overhunting, habitat loss, and bounties declared in 1871. By the early 20th century, sightings were rare. The last confirmed kills were three cheetahs shot by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo in 1947 in Koriya, Chhattisgarh, with a final sighting of a female in 1951. In 1952, the cheetah was officially declared extinct in India due to habitat destruction, prey decline, and lack of conservation efforts.
The Asiatic cheetah now survives only in Iran, with fewer than 50 individuals, classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. Iran’s reluctance to share these rare animals due to their precarious status forced India to turn to African cheetahs (A. j. jubatus), genetically similar (separated 5,000 years ago) and more abundant, with ~7,000 in southern Africa.
The Plan to Bring Back the Cheetah
The idea of reintroducing cheetahs to India dates back to the 1950s, with Andhra Pradesh’s State Wildlife Board proposing trials. In the 1970s, negotiations with Iran for Asiatic cheetahs failed due to political instability and Iran’s small population. Serious efforts resumed in 2009 with a workshop by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), identifying Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, and Kenya as sources for African cheetahs.
In 2012, the Supreme Court of India halted the project, citing concerns over introducing a non-native subspecies and prioritizing Asiatic lion translocation to Kuno National Park. However, in January 2020, the court reversed this decision, allowing experimental imports of African cheetahs. The Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India (January 2022) outlined a 25-year vision to establish a meta-population of 50–60 cheetahs across 17,000 km², starting with Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, selected for its grasslands, low human disturbance, and prey base.
Goals of Project Cheetah:
Restore Biodiversity: Reintroduce cheetahs to regulate prey populations (e.g., chital, blackbuck) and revive grassland ecosystems.
Ecological Balance: Fill the ecological niche of a top predator, enhancing biodiversity and supporting species like the great Indian bustard.
Conservation Legacy: Contribute to global cheetah conservation and boost wildlife tourism.
Major Events in Project Cheetah (2022–2025)
September 17, 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs (5 females, 3 males) from Namibia into Kuno National Park on his 72nd birthday, marking the world’s first intercontinental wild carnivore translocation. Fitted with radio collars, they were quarantined in 0.5 km² bomas before moving to larger enclosures.
February 18, 2023: Twelve cheetahs (7 males, 5 females) arrived from South Africa, released into Kuno in March 2023, bringing the total to 20 adults.
March 24, 2023: Namibian female Siyaya birthed four cubs, the first wild cheetah births in India in over 70 years, signaling adaptation. Three cubs died from heat stroke (46–47°C) in May 2023, with the surviving cub hand-reared after maternal rejection.
2023–2024 Mortality: Eight adults (3 females, 5 males) and five cubs died by September 2024 due to septicemia, kidney failure, mating injuries, starvation, and collar-related infections. Causes included India’s humid climate (unlike Africa’s dry conditions) and inadequate/timely veterinary care.
September 2024: All 12 surviving adults and 12 cubs were confined to 0.5 km² bomas in Kuno due to mortality risks, violating Namibia’s 3-month captivity limit for wild carnivores.
April 20, 2025: Two cheetahs were relocated from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar’s 64 km² fenced enclosure, marking the second reintroduction site.
April 2025: NTCA announced plans to import eight cheetahs from Botswana (four in May, four later) and 4–8 from Kenya for Gandhi Sagar, with 12–16 more from South Africa. As of July 9, 2025, Botswana’s imports are delayed, with no arrivals.
Cub Births: By April 2025, 19 cubs were born (13 surviving) to Namibian females Aasha, Jwala, and South African female Gamini, achieving a 73% cub survival rate.
Current Population: 31 cheetahs (12 adults, 17 cubs in Kuno; 2 adults in Gandhi Sagar) as of April 2025.
Challenges Facing Project Cheetah
High Mortality Rates:
40% of adults (8/20) and 5/24 cubs died by September 2024, exceeding the expected 50% first-year mortality.
Causes included:
Infections: Collar-related wounds led to septicemia (e.g., Shaurya, Pawan) due to India’s 764 mm monsoon rainfall, unlike Africa’s drier climate.
Heat Stress: Three cubs died in May 2023 at 46–47°C.
Other: Kidney failure, mating injuries, and starvation.
The Cheetah Conservation Fund criticized inadequate veterinary care and monitoring, noting preventable deaths.
Prey Shortages:
Kuno: Chital density dropped from 23.43/km² (8,000) in 2021 to 17.5/km² (6,500) in 2024, insufficient for 29 cheetahs and 91 leopards needing ~26,780 prey/year. Six 1 km² breeding enclosures aim for 100 chital/year, far below the 1,500–2,000 needed.
Gandhi Sagar: 479 ungulates (chital, chinkara, nilgai) are below the 948–984 required for 6–8 cheetahs.
Habitat Constraints:
Kuno’s 748 km² supports only 21 cheetahs at 1/100 km², below the 1,000–3,000 km² needed for wide-ranging cheetahs. All 29 are in bomas, reducing wild fitness.
Gandhi Sagar’s 64 km² enclosure limits population growth, with leopard incursions (~70) threatening prey.
Critics argue India lacks contiguous 4,000–5,000 km² habitats, unlike Africa’s fenced reserves.
Leopard Competition:
Kuno’s 91 leopards and Gandhi Sagar’s ~70 reduce chital stocks and threaten cubs. A proposal to introduce tigers to control leopards is untested.
Logistical Delays:
Botswana’s eight cheetahs (four planned for May 2025) are delayed, likely due to CITES permits, veterinary checks, or diplomatic negotiations. Past imports faced similar hurdles (e.g., South Africa’s 7-month delay in 2023).
Criticism and Ethical Concerns:
Environmentalists like Ravi Chellam argue the project lacks scientific merit, prioritizing political symbolism (e.g., Modi’s 2022 birthday release) over species like the great Indian bustard.
Fenced reserves (e.g., Gandhi Sagar’s 80 km²) contradict India’s unfenced conservation philosophy.
Legal concerns include violating IUCN guidelines by mixing subspecies.
Genetic Diversity:
With only 12 adults (5 females), inbreeding risks are high, requiring 50–100 for viability. African cheetahs have low genetic diversity (~0.5–0.6 heterozygosity).
Births: A Ray of Hope
Despite setbacks, Project Cheetah has achieved a significant milestone: 19 cubs born since 2023, with 13 surviving (73% survival rate) as of April 2025. Key births include:
March 24, 2023: Siyaya (Namibia) birthed four cubs; three died, one hand-reared.
2023–2024: Aasha and Jwala (Namibia) and Gamini (South Africa) produced 15 more cubs, with 12 surviving, demonstrating adaptation to Indian conditions.
Significance: The 73% cub survival rate exceeds African reintroduction averages (50%), and females hunting chital (e.g., Siyaya, Savannah) show ecological integration.
These births signal potential for a breeding population, but prolonged captivity risks their wild fitness.
Future Plans
Project Cheetah’s 25-year vision targets a meta-population of 60–70 cheetahs by 2034 across a 17,000 km² corridor (Kuno, Gandhi Sagar, Mukundara, Nauradehi, Banni Grasslands).
Key plans include:
Additional Imports:
Botswana: Eight cheetahs (four delayed from May 2025, expected by October–November 2025) for Gandhi Sagar.
Kenya: 4–8 cheetahs by 2026, leveraging India’s International Big Cat Alliance membership.
South Africa: 12–16 cheetahs by 2026, pending report submissions.
Goal: Reach 50 adults by 2027 to ensure genetic diversity.
Prey Augmentation:
Kuno: Complete six chital breeding enclosures by mid-2025, targeting 1,500–2,000 chital/year to reach 30–60/km².
Gandhi Sagar: Translocate 500 ungulates (chinkara, blackbuck) by 2026 to support 6–8 cheetahs.
Banni Grasslands: Scale chinkara (40 released) and blackbuck breeding for 16 cheetahs by 2026.
Habitat Expansion:
Develop Gandhi Sagar (8,900 hectares) and Banni Grasslands (5,000 km²) as reintroduction sites by 2026.
Explore Nauradehi and Mukundara Hills for future releases.
Leopard Management:
Pilot 2–3 tigers in Kuno by 2026 to reduce leopard predation (91 in Kuno, ~70 in Gandhi Sagar).
Relocate 10–15 leopards from Gandhi Sagar’s enclosure.
Community Engagement:
Expand “Cheetah Mitras” to reduce human-wildlife conflict and compensate livestock losses.
Address village relocations (e.g., Karnpura in Gandhi Sagar) with fair compensation.
Fencing Proposal:
Fence Kuno (748 km²) by 2026 to protect cheetahs and prey, though critics warn of a “glorified safari park”.
Current Situation (July 9, 2025)
As of July 9, 2025, Project Cheetah stands at a critical juncture:
Population: 31 cheetahs (12 adults, 17 cubs in Kuno; 2 adults in Gandhi Sagar).
Kuno National Park:
29 cheetahs (12 adults: 5 females, 7 males; 17 cubs), with 6,500 chital (17.5/km²) insufficient for 29 cheetahs and 91 leopards.
Six chital breeding enclosures (under construction) aim for 100 chital/year, with 1,500 translocated.
Gandhi Sagar:
2 cheetahs in a 64 km² enclosure, with 479 ungulates (below 948–984 needed). Leopard incursions (~70) and habitat unsuitability for chital shift focus to chinkara/blackbuck.
Botswana Import Delay: Four cheetahs, planned for May 2025, have not arrived, likely due to CITES permits, veterinary checks, or Gandhi Sagar’s prey shortage.
Critical Assessment
Successes:
19 cubs born (13 surviving, 73%) demonstrate breeding potential.
Gandhi Sagar’s activation as a second site expands the meta-population framework.
Cheetahs hunting chital (e.g., Aasha, Siyaya) show ecological adaptation.
Challenges:
High mortality (40% adults, 5/24 cubs) and prolonged captivity undermine wild reintroduction.
Prey shortages and leopard competition threaten sustainability.
Botswana’s delay risks genetic diversity, with only 5 breeding females.
Skepticism:
Optimistic: Imports (Botswana, Kenya, South Africa) and prey augmentation could yield 60 cheetahs by 2032–34.
Pessimistic: Without imports, inbreeding and predation could lead to extinction by 2035.
Realistic: The project may sustain 31 cheetahs for 5–7 years but needs 50–60 by 2031, requiring imports and habitat expansion.
Conclusion
Project Cheetah is a daring endeavor to restore a lost piece of India’s natural heritage. From extinction in 1952 to the triumphant birth of 19 cubs since 2023, the journey has been marked by hope and hardship. The arrival of 20 African cheetahs, the establishment of Kuno and Gandhi Sagar, and plans for Banni Grasslands reflect India’s commitment to biodiversity. Yet, high mortality (40% adults), prey shortages (6,500 chital vs. 26,780 needed), leopard competition, and delays in Botswana’s imports highlight the project’s fragility. With 31 cheetahs as of July 2025, all in enclosures, the dream of a free-ranging population remains distant.
Future success hinges on scaling prey (340,000 ungulates), importing 20–24 cheetahs by 2026, and managing leopards. Without these, the population risks inbreeding and extinction by 2035. Project Cheetah is not just about cheetahs—it’s about reviving grasslands, saving species like the great Indian bustard, and rekindling India’s conservation legacy. As the world watches, India must balance ambition with science to ensure the cheetah runs free again.
Call to Action: Stay updated on Project Cheetah via NTCA (ntca.gov.in) or WII (wii.gov.in).
