After lurching from one crisis to another in the Kuno reserve, the government is preparing a new home for a fresh batch of cheetahs at the Gandhi Sagar sanctuary. But, it has all the same problems as Kuno—and more. The inexplicable bit: The stubborn decision to ignore a far, far better option in Rajasthan.
A cheetah recap: One year later
We have explained every aspect of the Cheetah Project in three previous Big Stories. The first looked at the history of cheetahs in India, the rationale for the project, and its critics. The second laid out the details of the grand plan—and examined their chances for survival, the third explained the string of deaths at Kuno—back in 2023. This is a quick run-through of where we are now.
The numbers: The government has relocated a total of 20 cheetahs from Africa to Kuno—eight from Namibia and 12 from South Africa. The first batch were brought in on PM Modi’s birthday in 2022. As of January, seven out of the 20 cats from Africa have died. Two were not fit to be released into the wild. Three of the four cubs born in the first litter died—and one is being raised in captivity. Another litter of three was born in January and a further six in March, bringing the total number of cheetahs up to 27.
The Kuno report card: In a one-year assessment released in November, the government claimed success—on three counts for the cheetahs. One: 50% of the introduced animals have survived (though it’s lower with the January death). Home ranges have been established for the cats. And we now have India-born cubs. So yay!
But, but, but: Jay Mazoomdar in Indian Express points out glaring holes in that rosy self-assessment:
One: Survival rate is assessed in the wild. Together, the 20 cheetahs had only spent a total of 26.77 months outside the protected areas called bomas. That’s if you add up the months for each animal. Under ideal circumstances, that number should be 142. In other words, seven cheetahs died even though they did not spend much time in the wild.
Two: It is therefore ridiculous to speak of ‘home range’. Only two animals are in the wild grasslands as of now. The rest are restricted to one-square km bomas.
Three: All the cubs were born in captivity to mums who were in captivity. No cubs have been born in the wild.
Four: Many of the animals—cubs included—died due to incompetence and negligence.
Five: It is now clear that there isn’t enough prey for the envisioned population of 50 cheetahs—that is self-sustaining.
Quote to note: The project’s biggest cheerleader is Vincent van der Merwe—who heads the Cheetah Metapopulation Project in South Africa. He describes Kuno as a ‘sink reserve’—which means:
Sink reserves, on the other hand, are habitats that have limited resources or environmental conditions that are less favourable for the survival or reproduction of a species. Sink reserves are reliant on [bringing in] individuals from source reserves to maintain their population numbers.
In other words, Kuno is incapable of sustaining a wild cheetah population—that sustains itself.
Ok, now tell me about Gandhi Sagar…
The original plan for Project Cheetah always envisioned the animals would be spread across at least three reserves. A new batch of five to eight cheetahs from South Africa will soon arrive after the monsoon—though the date is not yet decided. The selection of Gandhi Sagar as their home was announced in September—at the one-year anniversary.
About Gandhi Sagar: It is also in Madhya Pradesh—on the border with Rajasthan. The protected area marked for cheetah reintroduction is much smaller—spread across 64 square km—compared to Kuno’s 748 square km.
What’s great about Gandhi Sagar: The terrain is similar to the Masai Mara in Kenya:
It will take time but the area is very promising. It looks like Masai Mara (in Kenya). It has open glades, a rocky area, shallow soil… exactly like east Africa.”...“We have started building a prey-revival area, but currently there are no prey, it will take time. We can’t rush this unless there is sufficient prey.
But, but, but: There are plenty of reasons to worry about the sanctuary as well.
Food, glorious food: Like Kuno, there isn’t enough prey for the cheetahs. Wildlife officials say they have relocated chital (spotted deer) and gaur (Indian bison)—but the numbers are still low. Seven to eight cheetahs will need about “1500 chital, 1000 blackbuck, and 350 chinkara.” Officials now want to import 5,000 antelopes to make up the shortfall—which is either a sign of desperation or great ambition.
Also this: Leopards call Gandhi Sagar home—and will compete for the same prey. Though mercifully, they are not expected to kill one another. Also competing for the same meat: local communities that hunt in the forest.
Where’s the ‘sanctuary’? There is a lot of human activity around Gandhi Sagar—unlike Kuno, which is far more sheltered. Highways pass right outside its boundaries—and cheetahs will have to live alongside a dam:
The Gandhi Sagar township, housing employees of the hydroelectric project on the dam, is located on the eastern end of the sanctuary. Today, the banks of the reservoir see some agriculture and livestock rearing, with the reservoir itself being used for commercial fishing.
Where are the experts? The project has been shedding as many experts as cheetahs. The government has sacked Yadavendradev Jhala—who “conceptualised and led the project.” In August 2023, four South African experts on the team told the Supreme Court that they have become “window dressing.” They also said:
The current management at Kuno National Park have little or no scientific training and the majority of the veterinarians there are too inexperienced to manage a project of this calibre. Most of the current steering committee members are unknown to us and they seem to show little interest in our opinions.
So it’s not clear who will take the lead for Gandhi Sagar. FYI: These sacked experts wrote the definitive feasibility report for the project—visiting six sanctuaries to lay out a road map.
Point to note: Given the many challenges, their report recommends a ‘soft release’ program. Animals are taken to areas where there are wild groups of their own species every day—closely monitored—and then returned to their enclosures. This goes on until they feel ready to join the wild group. But there is no wild group of cheetahs in this case—so we’re not sure how it will work.
Umm, why do they keep picking unsuitable sites?
Politics. Since the inception of the cheetah project, the Mukundra Hill Reserve in Rajasthan has been the frontrunner as a sanctuary. And when three cheetahs died in Kuno last year, the Supreme Court suggested relocating some of them: “It appears that Kuno is not sufficient for so many cheetahs… Why don’t you look for a suitable place in Rajasthan? Merely because Rajasthan is ruled by (an) Opposition party does not mean you will not consider it.”
The biggest asset: of Mukundra is that it is fenced—making it easier to keep the animals safe. Van der Merwe has been pushing for relocation for that exact reason:
There has never been a successful reintroduction into an unfenced reserve in recorded history. It has been attempted 15 times in South Africa and it failed every time. We are not advocating that India must fence all of its cheetah reserves, we are saying that just fence two or three and create source reserves to top up sink reserves.
Van der Merwe advocates fencing Gandhi Sagar—and another reserve in Nauradehi in Madhya Pradesh.
Here’s the kicker: Now that the BJP is back in power in the state, the government may expand the Gandhi Sagar reserve into Rajasthan—which will increase the space available to the cheetahs to 2,000 sq km. In other words, having repeatedly rejected Rajasthan—the government will now bring the cheetahs into the state—albeit by the longest, most inefficient route possible.
The bottomline: Here’s how Mazoomdar sums up the state of the cheetah project:
The project’s original goal, “to establish a free-ranging breeding population of cheetahs in and around Kuno”, has been diluted to “managing” a meta population through assisted dispersal.
Translation: The government will manage separate, small populations of cheetahs in different reserves. It will have to physically move the cheetahs from one sanctuary to another to maintain genetic diversity—since cheetahs cannot travel great distances. Also this: “Cheetahs suffer from chronic stress when chased by capture teams, with up to 7% of tranquilised and immobilised cheetahs lost to complications.”
Reading list
Jay Mazoomdar in Indian Express is best in assessing the project’s success. Indian Express also has more on the government’s aversion to Rajasthan. Down To Earth reported on what the South African experts told the Supreme Court. The original feasibility report—with site visits—offers the best view of the project and the selected sanctuaries. For the most comprehensive view of the project, read our previous three Big Stories. The first looked at the history of cheetahs in India, the rationale for the project, and its critics. The second laid out the details of the grand plan—and examined their chances for survival, the third explained the string of deaths at Kuno—back in 2023.
