India celebrates two years of project Cheetah with 24 Cheetahs, including 12 cubs

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 17 (ANI): An ambitious project of the Central government of reintroducing Cheetahs in India successfully completed two years on Tuesday after being declared extinct in 1952.

Two years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reintroduced the Cheetahs in India by releasing the first batch of eight Cheetah, brought from Namibia, on the occasion of his 72nd birthday, September 17, 2022 at Kuno National Park located in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district.

On completing the two years of project Cheetah, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav shared a video celebrating the journey of reintroduction of Cheetah on Indian soil.

“2 Years of Cheetahs! Two years ago, we embarked on a historic journey to reintroduce cheetahs in India after nearly 70 years. The project, envisioned by PM Narendra Modi, a pioneering effort globally, symbolises hope for successfully restoring lost wildlife populations and ecosystems. It hasn’t been an easy road. Numerous challenges, from habitat adjustments to ensuring the cubs’ survival in the wild, were overcome,” Yadav wrote on X.

“Today, as the world watches these Cheetah cubs thrive in their natural habitat, we celebrate not just their survival but also the resilience and dedication of all involved in these humongous efforts. This is just the beginning of restoring balance to our ecosystems. Many more milestones lie ahead,” he further wrote.

The video explained that a new chapter began in India’s wildlife story two years ago with the reintroduction of the fastest sprinter on earth, Cheetah, which became extinct in 1952, to their historic home and winning the race against extinction.

Project Cheetah, launched to revive their presence, is showing remarkable progress. Currently there are 24 cheetahs in India. Of these there are 12 adults and 12 cubs born here. It is just the start of a journey to revitalise India’s biodiversity, the video stated.

“From Africa to the heart of India they are once again part of our ecosystem. These Cheetahs are not just surviving but also they are thriving here. Their presence helps to restore ecological balance and support local ecosystems,” the video added.

In 2022, eight Cheetahs – brought from Namibia – were introduced in India under Project Cheetah. Subsequently, twelve cheetahs from South Africa were also translocated and released in Kuno National Park in February 2023.