The introduction of cheetahs in India – which are extinct for at least 70 years now – will not just manage them as metapopulations, but the Environment Ministry also plans to use cheetah to ultimately restore open spaces and enhance capacity for carbon sequestration as a mitigation tool towards climate change. The ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’ released
Summary
- “The primary aim is to establish a free-ranging population of cheetahs in and around KNP in Madhya Pradesh.
- Cheetah conservation should become a part of the mandate of the NTCA and under the Project Tiger Scheme of funding by the Forest Ministry.
- Financial commitments should be flexible to accommodate rational changes to translocation and population establishment plan during implementation and subsequent monitoring,” the document mentioned.
- The Action Plan document also mentions criteria for success (of the project) and an exit plan.
- “If the introduced cheetahs do not survive or fail to reproduce in five years, the programme needs to be reviewed for alternative strategies or discontinuation,” it said.