Explained | Why Are Environmentalists Concerned About Bringing African Cheetahs to India?

One of the major issues that has concerned experts is the genetic differences in the cheetah subspecies. The cheetahs coming to India will not be from the Asiatic subspecies, but instead from the African subspecies.

The mighty Asiatic Cheetah which was once the pride of India’s jungles, was pushed to the brink by threats like habitat destruction and overhunting and was ultimately declared extinct in 1952. In 2020, the Supreme Court provided a glimmer of hope when it gave a go-ahead to central government’s ambitious plan for bringing in the cheetah from Namibia, Africa. The sites that have been suggested for the relocation are the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, the Velavadar National Park in Gujarat and the Tal Chapar sanctuary in Rajasthan. 50 of these big cats will be introduced in the next five years from the Africa savannas.

However, conservationists and scientists are not happy with the move for a variety of reasons. Experts fear that the lack of enough area and prey base for the African cheetahs in Indian habitats might pose challenges. Here are some acute concerns:

Genetic differences in cheetah subspecies

One of the major issues that has concerned experts is the genetic differences in the cheetah subspecies. The cheetahs coming to India will not be from the Asiatic subspecies, but instead from the African subspecies. The African cheetahs not only look different, but are also used to a different habitat and prey base. In comparison, the Asiatic cheetah is smaller, thinner and slightly paler in colour than its African counterpart. Introducing a different subspecies to new ecological setting carries its own set of biodiversity issues and disease risks.

Not enough space to accommodate cheetahs

A cheetah requires a substantial amount of space. Many activists have said that the proposed habitats in India are not large enough to accommodate cheetahs, and do not have enough prey to sustain the big cats. According to a report by Smithsonian Magazine, the proposed Indian wildlife habitats do not have an area of more than 1,000 square kilometers, and also have much less prey base than the African homes of cheetahs. More so, the African cheetah which is used to preying on certain species in its native settings will again have to learn to hunt in India. Whether they can adapt to the Indian conditions still remains a big concern.

“Even though the forest block is very large, at least by Indian standards, a lot of the habitat is not suitable for the cheetah. We also don’t know how long these animals have been in captivity. This tends to change their wild behaviour and instincts. Once you bring them out, how do you ensure they become independent animals, that too in a novel habitat?” Ravi Chellam, wildlife biologist and CEO, Metastring Foundation, and member, Biodiversity Collaborative told Live Mint.

Might take focus away from species that need attention

With renewed focus on bringing the cheetah back to India, experts fear that it might take away the focus away from other species that need more attention. One such example is the great Indian bustard, which stands on the brink of extinction in the country today. Environmentalists have also highlighted the incomplete status of existing plans like the translocation of lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh. Noted environment lawyer Ritwick Dutta called this a “classic case of misplaced conservation priorities.”

“It is ironic that we want to shift our whole conservation focus on a species that went extinct in the 1950s rather than those which are on the verge of going extinct in a few years. Even the 2013 SC judgement noted that it is a necessity to find alternative homes for highly endangered species like the great Indian bustard, Bengal florican, Asiatic lion, wild buffalo, dugong and the Manipur brow-antlered deer,” Dutta told Mongabay-India.

Risk of diseases in new setting

A Down to Earth report explains that when animals are being introduced to a new landscape, there is a risk of disease spread to both the individual animals and to the wildlife species which inhabit the site chosen for reintroduction. The stress of unfamiliar or unnatural conditions of confinement, especially during the translocation process might trigger diseases in cheetahs. Aniruddha Belsare, a disease ecologist and modeler said cheetahs are “highly susceptible” to feline infectious peritonitis virus. More concerning is the fact that India does not have baseline data about the prevalence of this virus in cat populations in the country.

According to the government, Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary is ready to receive the cheetahs. However, a thorough scientific study, review of habitat, prey base and disease screening needs to be done before introducing a foreign species to India.