India cheetah reintroduction project faces ongoing debate over science and resources

India's ambitious project to reintroduce cheetahs to the wild, 70 years after their extinction in the country, is continuing amid debate over its scientific basis and resource allocation. ThePrint chronicles the cheetah's historical presence in India from Mughal times through British-era bounties to the last known shooting by a maharaja in 1947. It details the government's decade-long effort that culminated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing eight Namibian cheetahs into Kuno Palpur Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh in September 2022, followed by 12 from South Africa in February 2023.

Nikkei Asia, however, reports that the reintroduction program "sparks debate over science and resources," as more cheetahs are expected to arrive. While ThePrint reports on the deaths of three of four cubs born in March 2023 due to heat, and of two adult females and one male, it concludes with optimism about Madhya Pradesh Forest Department efforts. The debate over whether African cheetahs are suitable substitutes for the extinct Asiatic subspecies continues, with critics questioning the cost and focus on one species.