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Showing posts with the label Cheetah

Cheetahs in Kuno: Deep Divide Over the Project

As more and more African cheetahs are brought to Kuno national park in an attempt to introduce them in India, the International community of cheetah conservationists and scientists are deeply divided over the controversial conservation project in the jungle- originally earmarked as a second home to Asiatic lions. Conservationists and scientists for and against the project have been expressing their opinion in an international journal - Nature ecology & evolution . About five months after a group of eminent scientists and experts criticized the project , those in favour of it including a group from Namibia and South Africa “respectfully disagreed” . But the critics have reacted sharply over the “scientific evidence” produced in support of the ongoing cheetah project. "Restoring Species Essential " About six months ago a team of international scientists and biologists questioned the “incomplete” Cheetah A...

Prep Before Cheetahs Become Free Ranging In Kuno National Park

When another male cheetah, Obaan,joined the two rock stars – Freddie and Elton -- in yet another bigger enclosure of Kuno national park on November 18, only five female cheetahs remained in smaller bomas in the park where they were released on September 17. Like the three males, the five female spotted cats will also be released soon in larger bomas to run and chase their prey to kill. India’s wildlife authorities accompanied by the experts from the cheetah conservation fund (CCF) from Namibia have been taking utmost care and caution before the cheetahs in Kuno are ultimately made “free -ranging” meaning released in open to move around the entire length and breadth of the park. “Free ranging cheetahs and their monitoring will be like a grand finale of the Project Cheetah to be played in Kuno for a longer period in the coming years'", said a senior official of the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFC&C)....

Cheetahs In Kuno Kill Another Deer But The Real Test Awaits

After Freddie and Elton, the two male cheetahs, made their first kill in Kuno National Park making national headlines, the two spotted cats killed another spotted deer sometime on November 8 evening. Moving around the one square km enclosure, the fastest land animal got some space to sprint and recover from the long confinement in small bomas - first in Namibia and then in Kuno. Like a fitness test, the deer hunting is taking place inside a one square km fenced enclosure facilitating the cheetahs to catch the cheetal (spotted deer) herbivore and kill. But this is being termed as "cheetah project on the right track". The real test of cheetahs will begin when they are finally released in the open forest in the coming months to compete and face the ferocious leopards and packs of the wild dogs of Kuno, officials of the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFC&C) admit. Cheetahs Chase De...

Cheetahs In Kuno National Park : Future Tense !

Now a team of international scientists and biologists have questioned the “incomplete” cheetah action plan with an unscientific approach relying on “ decade-old flawed projections from Namibia”. Making a scathing attack on the translocation project of the iconic species in Kuno National Park , 8 scientists and conservationists write in an international journal that this may lead to “human –cheetah conflict. They “advised” to “prepare a revised science based” action plan. The Great Cheetah Divide The Cheetah Introduction Action Plan developed by the Wildlife Institute of India ( WII ) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority ( NTCA ) and of the Union ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFC&C). Many experts from Namibia and South Africa have supported the plan. As controversy followed the cheetah translocation in Kuno national park, 8 cheetahs were released by the prime minister of India Na...

Why Cheetahs in Kuno National Park Are Linked with International Ivory Trade ?

Controversy on India’s alleged compromise on its stand against the ivory trade to facilitate cheetah translocation refuses to die . It started long before Namibian cheetahs landed in India and released in Kuno National Park on September 17. After the recent media reports on the issue, the Union environment ministry issued a denial. It said “a news report on Namibia seeking India's support for lifting a UN ban on trade of ivory as part of the cheetah deal "largely relies on speculation, hearsay and not on facts". But knowledgeable sources stood to the "compromise" theory. Let’s find out why the cheetah translocation issue is linked with elephant poaching and internaional ivory trade. Why Ivory Trade was Banned Huge quantity of Ivory is stockpiled in Namibia along with some other African nations. The ivory was confiscated after poaching of elephants in several African countries. The number of wild elephants dropped dramatically acro...

Cheetah Revives Hopes Of Wolf Howling

What is common between a tiger and wolf? Their population in India is almost similar and so is their level of threat –endangered. Despite the highest level of protection and a project to save tiger, their number was 2967 in the last census in 2018. There are about 3100 wolves left in India. Experts believe that if they are not protected, the Indian wolves may vanish like their grassland cohabitant cheetahs in the past. But now the introduction of cheetahs in Kuno national park of Madhya Pradesh has revived the hopes for the protection of their habitat – savannahs of India. However, there are questions and concerns how protecting the habitat in Kuno would protect other grass and shrub lands of the country. And there seems to be no answers. Poor Wolf, Doesn’t Howl - Whines Over the years, a mythical wolf silhouette howling at the full moon created a dark and dangerous image of the carnivore now struggling for survival. But why does a wolf howl? “...

Cheetah in Kuno National Park, Real Challenge Begins Now

Midst controversies ,concerns and cacophony of TV coverage, cheetahs reached Kuno national park . This fastest animal will remain confined within the four walls of a small enclosure before they are released in another – a bigger one about 5 sq kms. After spending almost two months in these enclosures, the animals are likely to be released in open - about 748 square km area Kuno National Park. Is there enough open grassland for cheetah to run , chase and kill, especially a prey like spotted deer. Cheetah ,in fact, is expected to “ adapt” the new conditions faster than its running speed and the park management has a challenge to “ minimize the damage.” Prime minister Narendra Modi while releasing the animal said, “ with cheetahs, the grassland ecosystem will be restored and biodiversity will increase”. Cheetah's Chase & Space Crunch Conservationists in India still believe that there is a space crunch for cheetahs in Kuno as ...

South African Cheetahs to Arrive Kuno National Park in October

After the release of 8 cheetahs from Namibia on September 17 in Kuno National Park (KNP) of Madhya Pradesh, South Africa will send an additional 12 cheetahs to India in October. More and more cheetahs will continue to be airlifted to India in the coming years till the “genetically viable population” of the spotted cat is not established. Cheetah Top Up To Continue To Create Genetically Viable Population Though an MoU is yet to be signed with South Africa, it is likely to be done soon. Recently a team of South African officials visited Kuno to take first hand information. Among others, the team comprised scientific co-ordinator, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Michele Pfab, deputy director CITES Policy Development & Implementation at department of Environmental Affairs, Mpho Tjiane , Policy Analyst at the department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Dzunisani Makhubele. The team is likely to submit its report soon and i...