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Tenth Cheetah Litter in Kuno Raises Population to 53 — But Can India’s Cheetahs Survive in the Wild?

 India’s cheetah population reaches 53 after the tenth litter in Kuno, but experts question whether births inside bomas signal real conservation success. The announcement of the tenth cheetah litter in Kuno National Park on March 9 has pushed India’s cheetah population to 53 individuals. The numbers appear impressive. Of these, 44 cheetahs are currently alive, including nine recently brought from Botswana, while 45 cubs have been born in India since the project began. Out of these births, 33 cubs are surviving and 12 have died.For a species declared extinct in India in 1952, the return of cheetah cubs is emotionally powerful. Government officials and conservation managers have understandably celebrated the milestone as proof that Project Cheetah is moving in the right direction. But is this a right perception?  Also read: 3 Years In: Unveiling the Truth About India's Cheetah Project Perhaps, No. When viewed through the lens of ecology and long-term conservation, the numbe...
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A Tiger Procession in Ranthambhore

  A video of tiger sighting  going viral on social media and shot in   Ranthambhore national park with  200 to 300 tourists following the cat in canters and gypsies stunned the wildlife lovers. Despite the presence of a large tourist crowd the tiger was walking down the dusty pathway of the park – unimpressed and undeterred. A senior wildlife official termed it an “unpleasant sight” and “disgusting to say the least''. For the tourists, the tiger  here seems to have become an object of entertainment while for the tourist operators and the forest department, a revenue generating commodity. The conservation aspect seems to be missing somewhere. Tiger Sandwitched Between Tourist Vehicles    There were at least seven canters and some gypsies full of tourists, behind the tiger -identified as T121- and as many vehicles in front of the cat moving in reverse direction. The tiger was sandwiched between the vehicles near a junction of zone number 4 and 5....
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Is Forest Fencing Issue Impacting Cheetah Project ?

  When the Indian authorities are gearing up for the release of more cheetahs in the open forests of Kuno national park , serious differences seem to have emerged between a key African cheetah expert and the Indian officials at the helm of affairs of cheetah introduction programme in India. The difference  of opinion  on the issues of  fenced jungle for cheetahs ,lack of prey  and  man power  emerged after the death of six cheetahs including three  cubs .Though the cheetah action plan already mentions high mortality in the reintroduction of the African species of the cat in India, half a dozen cheetah deaths seems to have rattled the Indo-African team managing the spotted cat in Kuno. Eight months after the release of the cats from Africa by the Prime Minister Modi in September last year, many apprehensions expressed by a number of   experts and biologists over the project seem to have come true. Questions are being raised again- Wh...
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Tiger Takes Care of Injured Tigress & Cubs in Bhopal

The sprawling tiger landscape of Bhopal may not have been a designated national park or a sanctuary but the woody city surroundings have been buzzing with wildlife activities, denied and disregarded by the state forest department.  There is a tiger love story  unfolding  in the forest,  a tigress  with four cubs and  reports of  atleast two pregnant tigresses. The tigers are  multiplying on the city outskirts  and so are the worries of the department.    The Love Story A large contiguous forest area spread over about 150 sq square kms in the jungles around two famous dams- Kolar and Kerwa- is now home of atleast 10 adult  felines. They are resident tigers of Bhopal- born and brought up in the city jungle and termed as the urban tigers.  In fact the tiger landscape is spread beyond these two dams   over a vast swathe of forest.  If we  calculate the area from the boundary  of  Ratapani  sa...
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Third Cheetah Dies At Kuno National Park

 Twenty four hours after the  Union ministry of environment ,forest and climate change (MoEFC&C)  released an all –is-well report of the cheetahs in enclosures of Kuno National Park , another  cheetah , a female, died in the park. This is the third cheetah death. Interestingly, all three – one from Namibia and two from South Africa- died  even before their release in the open forest of Kuno. South African cheetah deaths have already created uproar back in the African nation as the opposition political parties have questioned the government.  Why Reproduce in Enclosure ?   This is another jolt  to the cheetah introduction programme in India. Eight cheetahs from Namibia  and 12 from South Africa were translocated in the months of September 2022 and February this year  respectively  to Kuno.  A female cheetah named Daksha died due to a "violent interaction" during mating with a coalition of two male cheetahs - Vayu and Ag...
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11 Cheetahs To Be Released In 2 Months, South Africa Announces Midst Minister's Questioning

  Amidst controversy created by the death of cheetahs  both in India and South Africa, the  forestry and environment ministry of  the African  nation said the 11   remaining cheetahs  will be released in the free ranging conditions “over the next two months.” Interestingly,  there is no commitment on cheetah release from Indian officials. Two cheetahs died in Kuno national park – one each from South Africa and Namibia. After the death of Uday, the South African cheetah,  the main opposition party  has also questioned  the minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, on the export of 12 cheetahs to India. Two MPs from the  the opposition Democratic Alliance Hannah Shameema Winckler and Dave Bryant have sought explanation from the minister and   accountability for the cheetah death. This has happened two months after lawyers of  an animals' rights organisation in South Africa petitioned...
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Stressed & Unhappy After Long Captivity , Kuno Cheetahs Need To Be Released In The Wild

  Death of another cheetah in Kuno national park seems to have opened Pandora’s Box.  This is the second death of a cheetah. Interestingly, both the cats died even before they could be released in the open forest.  Besides, outings of Oban now rechristened as Pawan have already baffled the cheetah managers. Amidst all this, Madhya Pradesh government has started pressing for the second home for cheetahs- there are 14 cheetahs in enclosures of Kuno , all of them  have been in captivity for long and are waiting for release in the open forest. Will they get a new home - some other national park- or they too will have to share  the space in the small 748 sq km forest of Kuno.  " Cheetahs Unhappy In  Enclosures"   In the first lot of Cheetahs that were brought from Namibia , there were 8 cats. Four were released in the open forest, one of them , Oban or Pawan, was brought back after it continued to  move out.  One female, Sasha, died on March...
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Another Cheetah Dies in Kuno ,Will Post Mortem Report be Made Public

  A team of veterinarians  conducted a post mortem of  Uday, the  six year old cheetah who died at Kuno national park on Sunday. The male feline was translocated from South Africa in February this year.  Twenty -four hours before his death, the cheetah was hale and hearty. Earlier on March 27, Sasha, one of the eight Namibian cheetahs, died of a kidney ailment at the park on March 27. Cause of Death Unknown The  latest incident is seen as a major setback for the  much hyped and ambitious 'Project Cheetah' for which 20 cats, 8 from Namibia  and 12 from South Africa were  airlifted in  two separate batches in September 2022 and February this year. respectively. After the death of  Uday,  the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Wildlife, J S Chauhan  said, "During the inspection in the morning ( on Sunday) , a cheetah (Uday) brought from South Africa was found dull with  his head  dropped down. He said that...
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Tiger In Chain, Arunachal Forest Minister Goes For Walk

 Close on the heels of the tiger census data released by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi showcasing the success of  tiger conservation , visuals of a tiger in a chain held by the Environment and forest minister of Arunachal Pradesh  shook the country.  The minister Mama Natung   walks the tiger  like a pet  .On April 16, he  also  twitted the  video  from his official twitter handle . He also posted the video with pride on his  facebook page. For record, tiger is listed in the scheduled one of the Wild Life (Protecton) Act 1972  and one can not have it as a pet .This Schedule deals with endangered species. Violation of Wildlife Protection Act   Interestingly, while tweeting the video , mama also tagged  the National Tiger Conservation Authority ( NTCA ) and  the Union ministry of Environment, forest  and climate change.  NTCA is the apex body for the protection and conservation of the ti...
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50 Years After Project Tiger: New Challenges & the Road Ahead

India may boast a rise in its tiger numbers and is a reason to rejoice, the situation of the tiger habitat from one corner of the country to another is alarming. Though the Tiger Status report 2022 released by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi  quoted  the  figure of a minimum number of 3167  tigers ( up from 2976 in 2018 ), it also expressed concern over local extinction of tigers in some regions. There is a decrease in tiger numbers across the WesternGhats and it indeed is a matter of concern. No media has highlighted these issues mentioned in the same report. Tigers are increasing, so is the human population and the pressure on the forests . If the jungle corridors are not protected, we are headed in a direction when the tigers would be confined to small isolated patches of forests.   On Local Extinction Of Tigers & Decreasing Numbers In Western Ghats Dwelling in detail from one tiger landscape to another, the Tiger Status report raised the local tige...
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Adventures of Asha, Oban Put Cheetah Task Force in a Fix

  Gasping for breath after chasing Oban- the cheetah roaming  beyond the boundaries of Kuno national park and tranquilizing to bring him back home - the Indian officials  have realised  that they will have a tough task ahead. With 15 more cheetahs waiting to be released in the open forest and no second home in sight for them yet,   it would be difficult for the officials to manage and monitor this fastest animal on the four legs Adventures of Oban Oban and Asha, a female, were released in the open forest of Kuno on March 11 marking the final defined step  of translocation  from Namibia to India. The duo along with six more were airlifted from Namibia   to India on September 17 last year. For months they were first kept in quarantine and then to a bigger enclosure before releasing them in the open forest. Few days later two more males- Elton and Freddie too were released. Within days, Asha and Oban moved out of the small park which has an...
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