Neither ecologically sustainable nor ethical: New study expresses concern over translocation of African cheetahs to India

Study by CWS raises concerns over translocation of African cheetahs to India, highlighting welfare challenges and ethical implications.

A new study by the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), which examines the ethical, ecological and welfare challenges associated with the translocation of African cheetahs to India, has expressed concern over the translocation of the animals and also raised questions about its scientific merit and long-term viability.

The study, ‘Delineating the environmental justice implications of an experimental cheetah introduction project in India’, was published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.

According to CWS, the study highlights that the translocation of African cheetahs to India has resulted in significant welfare challenges, with a mortality rate of 40%-50% in the first phase of the project, far below the expected survival rate of 85%.

Under Project Cheetah, so far 20 African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023 were introduced into the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.

CWS also said that the cheetahs involved in the project have experienced high levels of stress, with over 90 chemical immobilisations and regular veterinary interventions, raising concerns about their physical and mental health.

It further said that African cheetah populations are already under pressure, with only around 6,500 mature individuals remaining in 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 said.