Problems in Cheetah reintroduction

Problems in Cheetah reintroduction

Subject : Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

3 adult Cheetahs and 3 new born Cheetah cubs in Kuno Palpur have died in the last few months due infighting, disease etc.

Cause of deaths

20 cheetahs have been introduced in Kuno Palpur, which has a geographical area of 750 sqkm, bringing cheetah density to 3 per 100 sq km, while studies in Africa reveal that optimum cheetah density should be 1 per 100 sqkm. This has led to infighting for food and mate and resulted in death of a female. Moreover, females those have been brought up in wild fencing and lack experience of motherhood, that’s why cub mortality is also high. According to Cambridge study 66% deaths occur due to predation, 16% due to abandonment by Cheetah mothers.

Way forward

Even half of 20 cheetahs surviving first year can be a success, still due to high density of cheetahs, future batches of cheetahs should be located in other protected areas like Mukundra hills nearby to Kuno, and in India the model of fenced raising  of Africa should be avoided as ,we follow a model of coexistence with species.