Constant criticism of various aspects of the project cheetah, Wildlife Officers and scientists of the region wrote a paper, stating that he fought “frequent criticism” and “sensational media stories” against the project, and defended its progress.
Officials and scientists stated that some criticism against the project was “vested in ideological prejudices”.
Published in the Frontiers in Conservation Science Journal, Paper said that the cheetah imported into India has ecologically adapted and the project has demonstrated significant progress in 2.5 years.
It states that the project was on a promising trajectory, even the cheetah recreation was a “gradual and risky process, with unavoidable and adaptive learning”. NTCA’s assistant veterinary officer Sanath Krishna is the lead writer of Mulia Paper, and is among the project tiger head Gobind Sagar Bharadavaj co-writer.
The project cheetah was launched in September 2022 and the African Cheetah was introduced from Namibia and South Africa to India. Initially, 20 cheetahs were imported from both countries.
This paper revealed in issues such as the scientific properties of the project, “incorrect concerns about cheetahs in captivity”, “wrong moral and justice concerns”, and “misconceptions about veterinary abilities and field intervention”.
It demanded a revolt of criticism that the cheetah was held in enclosures for a long period, as well as questioning which criteria were followed.
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Government officials stated in paper that Cheetah was organized in “soft-relief bom” or large enclosures, where they had hunted locally available, and no victims. He said that soft-relief exercises were recognized for the international reproduction internationally.
Paper said, Paper said, now, after re-starting the phased release process in early 2025, it has been well adapted to the landscape such as deaths during May-June 2023, such as “unexpected challenges” of tick infections due to unmatched winter coats. According to the paper, six introduced cheetahs and 18 cubs, currently getting free in the Kuno forest and others are waiting for the release. Paper said that the government is also interacting with the governments of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa for more cheetah translations.
However, the paper did not touch the death of the male cheetah Pawan, who died in August 2024 due to drowning according to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.
Paper cited the birth of 25 cubs in 2.5 years, which was a sign of stress-free environment. Criticizing the social impacts of the project, the paper claimed that there was no improper displacement or force of local communities, and a lot of transfer took place long ago.
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On the tension faced by wild cats due to recurring immobilization, paper stated that zero deaths were recorded due to immobilization. Ever since the project started, there have been 90 immobilities of more than 20 cheetahs over a period of 2.5 years for preventive care, medical treatment and radio-collectors.
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