Project Cheetah 2026: Kuno Wild Births & Key MCQs

Project Cheetah relocated wild African cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to establish a free-ranging population in India.

Overhunting, bounty killings, and grassland habitat loss led the Government of India to officially declare the cheetah extinct in 1952.

The last three documented Asiatic cheetahs were shot by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Koriya in 1947.

Kuno National Park spans over 748 sq km in the Vindhyan hills, selected for its grassland habitat, prey density (chital, sambar), and historical absence of human settlements.

South Africa provided 12 cheetahs (7 males, 5 females) to build genetic diversity in the founding population at Kuno.

Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary features 64 sq km of predator-proof enclosures prepared for cheetah reintroduction.

Established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the NTCA coordinates cheetah health monitoring, radio-telemetry, and prey base augmentation.

WII scientists and international cheetah biologists designed the phased quarantine, boma acclimatization, and tracking methodologies.

VHF/satellite collars transmit real-time GPS coordinates to 24×7 tracking teams on the ground.

Cheetahs spend 30 days in quarantine bomas followed by larger soft-release hunting bomas to adapt to local prey before full wild release.

Over 400 Cheetah Mitras educate local communities that cheetahs pose minimal threat to human safety, fostering local stewardship.

Chital (Axis axis) forms the bulk of the cheetah's natural prey base in Kuno, supplemented by four-horned antelopes (chousingha) and hares.

Fewer than 40 critically endangered Asiatic cheetahs survive in the arid central deserts of Iran, precluding capture for foreign translocation.

Southeast African cheetahs share high morphological and ecological similarities with the extinct Indian population.

Non-retractable claws provide traction during blistering bursts of speed exceeding 100 km/h, and their vocal anatomy produces high-pitched chirps.

The cheetah is the fastest land animal on Earth, capable of accelerating from 0 to 90 km/h in three strides with extreme spine flexibility.

The black tear lines deflect blinding midday sun glare away from the eyes, enhancing long-range vision during daytime hunting.

CCF handled pre-translocation quarantine, veterinary vaccinations, behavioral screening, and training for Indian field veterinarians.

Fewer than 7,000 adult cheetahs remain in the wild worldwide, threatened by habitat fragmentation and retaliatory killings.

As an umbrella species, saving cheetah habitats restores scrublands that harbor great Indian bustards, wolves, and blackbucks.

The three-judge bench modified its earlier 2013 stay, allowing NTCA to proceed with the scientific trial.

Jwala gave birth to four cubs inside Kuno, demonstrating that translocated African cheetahs can adapt, mate, and reproduce in Indian climatic conditions.

Indian and South African veterinarians modified collar designs, incorporating antimicrobial seals and lighter weights to prevent friction sores.

The action plan establishes a metapopulation across 3,000 sq km of contiguous habitat with genetic exchanges.

The Kuno River, a major tributary of the Chambal, traverses the park from south to north, creating lush riverine forest corridors.

Kuno was originally established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1981 and upgraded to a national park in 2018.

Project Tiger was launched under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with nine initial tiger reserves; India now hosts 55+ tiger reserves harboring over 75% of global wild tigers.

Project Elephant provides financial and technical support to 33 designated Elephant Reserves across 14 states.

Headquartered in India with dedicated central corpus support, the IBCA mobilizes global South-South conservation financing.

Success is measured by wild reproduction, natural hunting success, low mortality rates, and peaceful coexistence with local pastoral communities.