Supreme Court Backs Government's Efforts To Reintroduce Cheetahs In India

In a positive development for the government, the Supreme Court has expressed no doubts about the government's efforts to reintroduce cheetahs in India.

This comes after a petition was filed regarding the death of nine cheetahs, including three cubs, in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park.

The reintroduction of cheetahs in the national park last year involved the arrival of 20 adult cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa. Since then, four cubs have been born in the park.

The project to bring cheetahs back to the park was initiated after the species was declared extinct in India in 1952.

According to the government, its the first year since the cheetahs were translocated (from Namibia in September 2022 and South Africa in February this year). They are actively monitoring the weather conditions and their impact on the cheetahs.

According to the government, there is a significant amount of preparation involved in bringing in 12-14 new cheetahs each year. Although there are some problems, they assure that there is nothing alarming.

The deaths of the cheetahs have been attributed by some experts to the use of sub-standard radio collars. However, the government has dismissed these charges as speculation and hearsay without scientific evidence.

During the Supreme Court session, the government denied any lapses and emphasised that they had consulted foreign experts before making the necessary arrangements.