By: Derek Chang

Asian Cheetahs went extinct in India over 70 years ago because of destruction of their habitat, and they were hunted for their spotted skins. Now, in India’s Kuno National Park, the Cheetah Conservation Fund is attempting to bring cheetahs back to India.

Ever since these Asian cheetahs went extinct, people in India have wanted to bring them back. On September 17, 2022, five female cheetahs and three male cheetahs were released into Kuno National Park. It isn’t a coincidence that this date is Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s birthday, and this event was timed to be on his birthday as a birthday “gift.”

The cheetahs were a gift from Namibia, and were very specifically chosen cheetahs. These cheetahs were good hunters and used to being around humans. Their hunting skills will help them survive, and being used to being around humans can help them interact with the people in the national park.

The cheetahs have been given tracking collars to help find them if they get lost. The cheetahs are spending a month in an enclosed area, and then will be allowed more space. However, that space isn’t 100% confined, so after the cheetahs get the extra space, they might run away from the park. That is what the collars are for.

An interesting fact is that, according to newsforkids.net, “[t]he cheetahs that were released aren’t Asian cheetahs, but African cheetahs.”

This project is more like an experiment, so people might think the project isn’t going to work. One thing some experts pointed out is that cheetahs like places such as grasslands with many hiding spots, but Kuno is more of a forested place.

Not only is the cheetah population going down in India, the population is also going down worldwide. There are actually only around 12 Asian cheetahs living, and these cheetahs live in Iran. African cheetahs have a much higher population at 8,000, but they are still endangered.

This project has been expected to cost about $11 million dollars over the next five years! The project’s goal is to go from having eight cheetahs to 40 cheetahs.

Source:

https://newsforkids.net/articles/2022/09/22/india-works-to-bring-cheetahs-back/