50 Cheetahs to be introduced in country in next five years

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Published : Jan 6, 2022, 10:02 AM IST

Action plan for reintroduction of Cheetahs launched, 50 Cheetahs to be introduced in next 5 years

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav unveiled an action plan for the introduction of Cheetas in the country at the 19th meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

New Delhi: After becoming extinct in 1952, the Cheetah is all set to return to India as the Centre on Wednesday launched an action plan under which 50 of these big cats will be introduced in the next five years.

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav unveiled an action plan for the introduction of Cheetas in the country at the 19th meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) saying, “The Cheetah that became extinct in independent India, is all set to return.”

The plan to reintroduce Cheetah was in limbo due to Covid, an NTCA official had earlier said.

As per the action plan, amongst the 10 surveyed sites in five central Indian States, Kuno Palpur National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh was rated high on the priority list and has been chosen as the first site for the Cheetah introduction because of its suitable habitat and adequate prey base. KNP was estimated to have a current capacity to sustain 21 Cheetahs.

During the meeting, Yadav in his address asserted that while the tiger continues to be an endangered species and the situation calls for adopting as well as active management. He added that for effective management of tiger population it is imperative to have a reliable estimate of tiger number at Tiger Reserve and Landscape Level.

The minister also said that there are 51 Tiger Reserves in the country and efforts are being made to bring more areas under the Tiger Reserve network. "The Tiger Reserves are not just for tigers because more than 35 rivers originate from these areas, which are crucial for water security," he added.

Yadav also released a Water Atlas, mapping all the water bodies in the tiger bearing areas of the country. "Landscape wise information has been outlined in this water atlas which includes, the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic plain landscape, Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats landscape, North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra flood plains and Sundarbans," he mentioned.

The atlas has been put together using remote-sensing data and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping.

“It will provide baseline information to forest managers to shape their future conservation strategies,” the minister said.

READ: India all set to welcome cheetahs after 70 years

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