India marks milestone in wildlife conservation with cheetah reintroduction

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered greetings on International Cheetah Day. He celebrated the cheetah's return to India and praised Project Cheetah – a national wildlife initiative launched to reintroduce cheetahs into suitable habitats and restore ecosystems where the species once existed – as a powerful representation of the country's renewed commitment to environmental conservation. This was reported by News9, a partner of TV BRICS.

“Three years ago, our Government launched Project Cheetah with the aim of safeguarding this magnificent animal and restoring the ecosystem in which it can truly flourish. It was also an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and strengthen our biodiversity,” stated the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister encouraged wildlife lovers globally to come to India and experience "cheetah tourism." This message evokes a sense of pride and, for some, longing for a time when these agile creatures roamed freely across expansive plains. 

Seventy years after these cats disappeared, a reintroduction plan was launched. In 2023, twenty African cheetahs arrived from Namibia and South Africa, and now India is home to a population of 32 cheetahs, 21 of which were born in India. 

According to the Prime Minister, many cheetahs are now found in the Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. He also noted that the country is proud to be home to these animals. 

However, the source states that the global fight to preserve the species is still ongoing. Only about 7,100 individuals remain in the wild, and 92 per cent of their historical range has been lost.

Photo: ANDREYGUDKOV / iStock