Three years on, India’s cheetah reintroduction struggles with poor science, delays, and missed grassland goals. In September 2022, the arrival of eight cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park was hailed as a conservation milestone. Five months later in February 2024, 12 more spotted cats arrived from South Africa. The initiative, branded Project Cheetah, carried lofty ambitions. It aimed not just to restore the world’s fastest land animal to India’s landscapes, but to revive open natural ecosystems (ONEs) — the grasslands, scrublands, and savannahs that are among the country’s most neglected habitats. By reintroducing a top predator, policymakers hoped to spark wider conservation attention, diversify India’s wildlife portfolio beyond tigers and forests, and make ecological amends for a human-caused extinction. The Cheetah Action Plan set out a clear roadmap: import 5–10 cheetahs annually for a decade, create a metapopulation across multiple states, secure and restore grassland hab...
The feel good India State of Forest Report (ISFR) has come under sharp criticism. Though the government hasdefended it, such reports have been“nonstop good news” since 1999. Till 1997,the forest cover declined in India after which it went up by a whopping 45,000sq km over the next three reports. Experts attribute two key changes in 2001which contributed to this: FSI adopted a fully digital analysis workflow, andit dramatically changed its definition of a forest, leading to scathing attacks. Report To Meet Climate Targets On Paper ? Overall, the 2021 report said, India has recorded an increase of 1,540 sq kms in its forest cover. India’s total forestcover is 713,789 sq km or 21.71 % of the total geographical area of thecountry. India has set a target of bringing 33 % of its geographical area underforest cover. By showing an increase in forest cover, India wants to achievethe target on paper, it is alleged. The 33% is a reference to the National Green India Missio...