5 more cheetahs to be released into wild at Kuno before monsoon
A team of experts has reviewed the current status of Project Cheetah on the instructions of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Recommendations of the team:
- Three female and two male cheetahs should be released from acclimatization camps into the open area in KNP, Madhya Pradesh.
- In future, cheetahs should be released in a planned manner in Gandhi Sagar and other areas under KNP or surrounding areas as per Cheetah Conservation Action Plan.
- Project Cheetah is a scheme launched to reintroduce African Cheetahs in India. This is the first transcontinental resettlement project of a large wild carnivore.
- NTCA is the authorized nodal agency for funding and supervision of the project.
Importance of cheetah rehabilitation –
- Cheetah is a flagship species of grassland. Its conservation also helps to preserve other species of grassland in the prey food chain.
- It can restore open forest and grassland ecosystems in India.
- This will contribute to biodiversity conservation. It will also enhance ecosystem services such as water conservation, carbon sequestration and soil moisture conservation.
- Carbon sequestration – Under this, carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in solid or liquid form.
- Enhancing livelihood opportunities for local communities through eco-development and eco-tourism activities
Asiatic Cheetah
- IUCN: Critically Endangered
- CITES Status: Appendix 1
- Habitat: Only a small number of them are left in Iran.
- They are smaller and thinner in size than African cheetahs. Their neck is very short and thin and their legs are also thin.
African Cheetah
- IUCN: Vulnerable
- CITES Status: Appendix-1
- Habitat: African continent (North-West Africa, East Africa and South Africa)
- They are larger in size than the Asiatic cheetah. Their body is relatively big and legs and neck are strong.
Source – Indian Express
