Cheetah project on right track, problems not alarming: Centre to Supreme Court

The central government informed the Supreme Court that Project Cheetah is on the right track. Under the project, 12-14 cheetahs will be brought in, and although there are some issues, they are not alarming, the government informed the court on Monday.

The central government’s assurance comes amid concerns over the cheetah deaths. Nine cheetahs have died since March this year.

As part of the government’s cheetah reintroduction plan, the first batch of eight cheetahs were released in Kuno in September last year, with second batch of 12 cheetahs brought in from South Africa in February. Over the past five months, nine cheetahs, including three cubs, have died at a national park in Madhya Pradesh.

Addressing a three-judge bench, led by Justice B R Gavai, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said that the death of some cheetahs due to translocation was expected, as such incidents can occur. She emphasised that the project has undergone extensive preparation and is unique in the world.

Aishwarya Bhati said, "There is a lot of preparation for this project...Every year there will be 12-14 new cheetahs brought in. There are problems, but nothing alarming."

One of the factors contributing to the deaths of three cubs was extreme summer conditions, according to ASG Bhati. "We have formed an 11-member expert committee to monitor the health of the surviving cheetahs," Bhati told the bench.

Elaborating on the cubs' deaths, Bhati explained that they had developed winter coats while in Africa, as it was winter there. However, when they were brought to their new environment, the sudden onset of extreme summers caused infections and dehydration.

At this, the Supreme Court bench asked, “Was that not expected? What steps did you take when you brought them here? What was your vision when translocating them?"

In response to the court's query, Bhati reassured that the surviving cheetahs were being treated and closely monitored. The ASG clarified that only six translocated cheetahs had died, not nine as reported by the media.

The court, in its order, disposed of the application, saying it found no reason to disbelieve the Centre’s statements about its efforts to make the cheetah project a success. It emphasized that decisions concerning the project were best left to the expertise of professionals in the field rather than the judiciary.