Almost 70 years after the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) went extinct in India, eight cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa were introduced into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in September 2022 and February 2023, respectively. The intent was to establish a free-ranging population of cheetahs belonging to the sub-species, Acinonyx jubatus.
Now, three scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, Germany, have pointed out serious shortcomings in the reintroduction plan. The cheetahs have been introduced in an unfenced area of about 750 sq. km. in the Kuno National Park. This area is surrounded by villages with livestock farmers.
Using only the prey density in the national park, the carrying capacity for cheetahs was calculated to be 21, which translates into three cheetahs per 100 sq km.
