BackProject Cheetah in line with PM’s commitment to conserve wildlife: Yadav
He stated that the department is determined for the conservation and protection of wildlife and environment with the active participation of all stakeholders
PremiumProject Cheetah is in line with PM Modi’s commitment to protect the environment and conserve wildlife, Bhupender Yadav, union minister for environment, forest and climate change, said at the meeting on Friday.
Expressing his gratitude to the government for bringing the cheetah back to India and restoring its lost glory, Yadav said that this would lead to enhanced livelihood opportunities for the local communities through eco-development and ecotourism activities.
In the meeting, the Consultative Committee discussed Project Cheetah and appreciated the efforts of the government for the successful translocation of Cheetahs in India from African countries.
Further, the Members of Parliament had flagged issues related to forest and wildlife in their constituencies and the issues that have a larger interest for society and wildlife conservation.
The environment minister assured the committee members that all the issues raised would be addressed in the right earnest. He stated that the department is determined for the conservation and protection of wildlife and environment with the active participation of all stakeholders.
To reintroduce cheetahs to India, the Supreme Court of India approved Project Cheetah in January 2020. The idea of bringing the cheetah back was first put forth in 2009 by Indian conservationists, along with Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).
CCF, a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Namibia, works towards saving and rehabilitating the big cat in the wild.
In July 2020, India and the Republic of Namibia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the Indian government agreeing to donate the eight felines to launch the programme. This was the first time when a wild southern African cheetah had been introduced in India, or anywhere in the world.
Under Project Cheetah, PM Modi released the cheetahs in Kuno National Park. The second batch of cheetahs arrived in India on February 18, 2023.
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