Relevance: GS III (Environment & Biodiversity) | Source: The Hindu

1. What is the Big News?

Two young cheetahs (named KP2 and KP3) have travelled roughly 60–70 km away from their home in Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh) and entered the Baran district of Rajasthan.

• Why is this Special? These two are among the very first generation of cheetah cubs born right here in India to African parents.
• Natural Habit: This travel is completely natural. It shows the cheetahs are healthy, exploring, and looking to claim their own new territory.
• Safety Check: A joint forest team from both states is tracking them 24/7 using radio collars fitted on their necks.

2. Where Do Cheetahs Live?

• Background: Cheetahs completely died out in India back in 1952. We started bringing them back from African countries (like Namibia and South Africa) in 2022.
• What They Need: They cannot live in dense jungles. They need huge, open grasslands with plenty of natural prey (like Blackbuck and Chinkara deer).
• Key Locations for UPSC:
  • Kuno National Park (MP): The current main home for the cheetahs.
  • Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary (MP): The next major prepared site for them.
  • Baran District (Rajasthan): The new natural area where they are currently wandering.

3. Main Challenges for the Project

• High Number of Deaths: The project has seen tough times. So far, 9 adult cheetahs and 12 cubs have died due to sickness or other natural causes.
• Not Enough Space: Cheetahs are born to run and need massive areas (home ranges) to survive. Moving into Rajasthan proves that Kuno alone might be too small as their numbers grow.
• Village Conflicts: As cheetahs wander into new districts, there is a risk they might attack village cattle, leading to clashes with local farmers.

4. What Should Be Done Next?

• Safe Travel Paths (Corridors): The government must protect the natural forest paths connecting Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan so the animals can move safely without hitting highways or cities.
• Teaching Villagers: Local people in Rajasthan must be educated on how to safely share the landscape with these big cats without panic.
• Bringing More Cats: To keep the cheetah family tree strong and genetically healthy, India recently brought 9 more cheetahs from Botswana (a new partner country) in early 2026.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to ‘Project Cheetah’ in India, consider the following statements:

1. Botswana is the first African country to officially supply cheetahs to India.
2. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is the nodal agency managing the cheetah reintroduction project.
3. ‘Long-distance dispersal’ refers to the natural behaviour of young animals moving away from their birthplace to establish new territories.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)