CHEETAH

Subject : Environment

Context :70 years after big cat’s extinction, India prepares to welcome cheetahs from Africa.

Concept :

Nearly 70 years after the cheetah was declared locally extinct or extirpated, India will receive its first batch of the large cats from Africa by the end of this year.
Within a week’s time, two expert teams — one from Namibia and the other from South Africa — the two countries with the highest cheetah populations in the world, will arrive to train Indian forest officers and wildlife experts on handling, breeding, rehabilitation, medical treatment and conservation of the animals.
This is the first time in the world that a large carnivore will be relocated from one continent to another.

African Cheetah

IUCN status – Vulnerable
CITES status – Appendix-I of the List. This List comprises of migratory species that have been assessed as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Habitat – Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs present in the wild.
Physical Characteristics – Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.

Asian Cheetah

IUCN Status – Critically Endangered.
CITES – Appendix 1 of the list
Habitat – 40-50 found only in Iran.
Physical Characteristics – Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has more fur, a smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance.