A brand new examine by the Centre for Wildlife Research (CWS), which examines the moral, ecological and welfare challenges related to the translocation of African cheetahs to India, has expressed concern over the translocation of the animals and likewise raised questions on its scientific advantage and long-term viability.
The examine, ‘Delineating the environmental justice implications of an experimental cheetah introduction project in India’, was printed in Frontiers in Conservation Science.
In response to CWS, the examine highlights that the translocation of African cheetahs to India has resulted in important welfare challenges, with a mortality charge of 40%-50% within the first section of the venture, far under the anticipated survival charge of 85%.
20 launched to KNP
Beneath Undertaking Cheetah, up to now 20 African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023 had been launched into the Kuno Nationwide Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.
CWS additionally stated that the cheetahs concerned within the venture have skilled excessive ranges of stress, with over 90 chemical immobilisations and common veterinary interventions, elevating issues about their bodily and psychological well being.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav through the launch of feminine cheetahs ‘Dheera’ and ‘Asha’ and three cubs from a big enclosure into the open forest in Palpur-Kuno Nationwide Park on February 5, 2025.| Picture Credit score:PTI
It additional stated that African cheetah populations are already underneath stress, with solely round 6,500 mature people remaining within the wild.
“With an initial mortality rate of 40%–50% in these cheetahs, currently all individuals are being kept in captivity in India, with plans to import 12 individuals annually till a viable population is established. The researchers of this paper argue that the project’s reliance on a continuous supply of cheetahs from southern Africa, is neither ecologically sustainable nor ethical,” it stated.
The examine was led by Yashendu Chinmayee Joshi, Doctoral Fellow on the Centre for Wildlife Research, together with co-authors Stephanie E. Klarmann, Blood Lions Non Revenue Firm (NPC) and College of Johannesburg, South Africa; and Louise C. de Waal, Blood Lions Non Revenue Firm (NPC), South Africa.
Justice-informed strategy
The authors have instructed {that a} extra justice-informed strategy would be sure that conservation choices are primarily based on inclusive, participatory processes, which have in mind the various values individuals place on nature.
“Our current approach risks overlooking diverse knowledge systems and values, the nuanced ways in which people interact with nature, their perceptions of wildlife, and importantly, their consent to bear the consequences of such initiatives. Conservation efforts should focus more on their ability to maintain sustainable shared spaces between humans and wildlife, rather than causing further division and distress,” stated Mr. Joshi.
Printed – February 19, 2025 05:43 pm IST
