Spot The Problems – Deaths of two cheetahs call for thorough expert investigation, not speculation. And space is the key

Source: The post is based on the article “Spot The Problems – Deaths of two cheetahs call for thorough expert investigation, not speculation. And space is the key” published in The Times of India on 1st May 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 3: Environment and Bio-diversity Conservation.

Relevance: About issues in India’s cheetah reintroduction project.

News: Uday is the second cheetah – among the 20 cheetahs that were translocated to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP)– has died within a month. This is the second such cheetah death within a month.

About Sasha, Cheetah Reintroduction Project and Kuno National Park

What are the challenges in Cheetah conservation?

Space issue: Unlike tigers that stalk prey, cheetahs race to hunt. Thus demanding wide ranges, typically grasslands. India has lost about 90-95% of its grasslands over the last two decades.

For instance, a cheetah was tranquilised when seen roaming beyond human-defined borders.

Note: Kuno is the only national park for cheetahs.

What should be done?

To save the cheetahs, India should a) Focus on conserving and expanding grasslands responsibly. India should also avoid haphazardly planting grasses, which make up a fraction of grasslands’ ecosystem, b) Focus on conserving prey species, and c) Focus on mechanisms to protect livestock, including compensation for villages that fall in the roaming ranges.