Lok Sabha Question No. 863 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-07
Subject: Import of Cheetahs from Abroad
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: S. Ramalingam, T. R. Paarivendhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 863

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 07.02.2022

## Import of Cheetahs from Abroad

## 863. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.: DR. T.R.PAARIVENDHAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Union Government has recently launched an 'Action Plan for introduction of Cheetah in India' during the 19th meeting of National Tiger Conservation Authority;
- (b) whether as per the action plan, the Ministry has decided to import a cohort of around 12 to 14 Cheetahs from South Africa or Namibia and each of them will be fitted with a satellite GPS-very high frequency radio-collar and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the total number of Cheetahs presently living in various parks in the country as on date;
- (d) the time by which the proposed 12 to 14 Cheetahs to be imported and accommodated in a suitable habitat are likely; and
- (e) the reasons to import Cheetahs from abroad including the total expenditure incurred/estimated and for making suitable habitat for these Cheetahs?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) Yes Sir.
- (b) The Government of India is in the process of holding consultation meeting with African countries for bringing Cheetah.  A total of 12-14 cheetahs are intended to be brought from South  Africa/Namibia/Other  African  Countries  over  a  period  of  five  years  as  per  the Action Plan. The such introduced cheetah would be fitted with Satellite/GSM-GPS-VHF radio-collars before their release in wild so as to enable monitoring remotely.
- (c) The cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952, currently there are no cheetah in any National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary in India.
- (d) About 12-14 wild cheetahs (8-10 males and 4-6 females) from various parks/reserves/areas that are ideal (reproductive age group that is genetically diverse, disease free, behaviorally sound-e.g. not overly imprinted to humans but tolerant, predator wary, capable of hunting wild prey, and socially tolerant of each other) for establishing a new cheetah population would be imported as required from South Africa/Namibia/Other African Countries, as a founder stock for five years initially and then as may be required by the program.
- (e) Cheetah is the only large carnivore to have become extinct in Independent India. There are no  cheetah  left  in  wild  in  India,  therefore,  to  introduce  them  in  India  they  have  to  be brought  from  abroad.  Cheetah  has  been  an  integral  part  of  Indian  ecosystems,  a  major evolutionary force, and an important cultural heritage. Their restoration will likely result in better  conservation  of  open  forest,  grassland,  and  scrub  ecosystems  for  which  they  will serve as a flagship species.

Rs.  38.70  crore  under  the  ongoing  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Project  Tiger has been allocated to the cheetah introduction project for the years 2021-22 to 2025-26.

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