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Vasudevan Sridharan

India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction project is on the verge of collapse after the death of its only wild-roaming big cat, raising doubts about the viability of a programme that has struggled despite intense diplomatic and conservation efforts.
The cheetah, fondly known as Pavan in India and Oban in Africa, was found dead on Tuesday in a suspected drowning, though authorities are still awaiting official confirmation. Independent experts have cast doubts on the true cause of death, because big cats do not usually die from drowning.
Pavan was one of the first cheetahs airlifted from Africa to India in 2022 as part of New Delhi’s initiative to reintroduce the apex predators to select grasslands in central India for conservation purposes.
This marked the world’s first intercontinental translocation of wild cats.
Amid much fanfare, eight adult Namibian cheetahs arrived at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on September 17, 2022, to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
Since then, most have been in some form of captivity, either in soft enclosures or restricted roaming areas, to monitor their health.
The cheetah project has been a flagship wildlife initiative for the Modi administration, with significant funding diverted from other programmes. About US$58 million has been spent so far.

Pavan was seen as a critical test case for how African cheetahs, which typically live 10 to 12 years in the wild, could adapt to the Indian wilderness beyond captivity. His death at the age of six years now poses a potentially insurmountable challenge to the project.
Dr Ravi Chellam, a wildlife biologist and conservation scientist, believes that India’s cheetah endeavour has reached a conservation dead end, with little hope for revival.
When asked if the multimillion dollar cheetah project could be salvaged, Chellam’s response was blunt: “Not really, because we’ve put the cart before the horse.”
“We should have first prepared a sufficient extent of suitable habitat and then brought the cats. Instead, the cats have been here in India for nearly two years, and we are still preparing small fragments of habitat, fencing these areas, and focusing on captive breeding,” he said.
Chellam, a fierce critic of the project, added: “It is not even clear what they are hoping to achieve other than try to salvage some prestige. This poorly planned and even more poorly implemented project has badly dented India’s reputation in wildlife science, management and conservation.”
In more desperate attempts to somehow salvage this project, local media reports suggest New Delhi is considering sourcing more cheetahs from Africa to support the repopulation efforts.


Captivity and conservation
Cheetahs, the world’s fastest land animals, capable of reaching speeds of 110km/hour within three seconds, were present in India until 1967.
Shrinking habitats, extensive land use by humans, low prey density, and competition with rival predators like lions, leopards, and tigers led to their extinction.
The Modi government, through nimble diplomatic efforts with multiple African nations, including Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa, aimed to reintroduce African cheetahs to restore the wildlife ecosystem.
The official goal of the Cheetah Action Plan, announced in 2021, was to establish “a free-ranging cheetah population that reproduces in the wild.”
However, the big cats have remained in captivity for the past two years due to recurring casualties from deadly bacterial infections like septicaemia (sepsis) or injuries from accidents.
The recent death of Pavan is the 13th such loss since March last year, including eight other adults.
Only 12 adult cheetahs, and a dozen cubs, remain at Kuno National Park.
“Captive-bred cheetahs are of no value for conservation, especially since the stated goal is for the cats to play their ecological role and serve as a flagship species for the conservation and restoration of open natural ecosystems like grasslands, savannahs, scrub, thorn, and dry forests,” Chellam said.
Asked about the potential reasons for the project’s struggles, Chellam said: “Poor scientific foundation, shifting objectives, lack of transparency, disregard for the rule of law, unclear management, and a constantly changing narrative.”
The cheetahs were originally scheduled to be released into the wild by October last year, but later only a few were released in December. According to Namibian policies, it is not recommended to release these animals into the wild after prolonged captivity. Critics say the objective of the project, whether unwittingly or by force, has now shifted to keeping the cheetahs in captivity rather than letting them roam free.

Other wildlife experts have expressed similar concerns about the project’s challenges.
A government official at Kuno National Park noted a significant decline in enthusiasm for the project due to the regular deaths of the animals.
“When they arrived, there was a lot of attention and resources, but that’s not the case any more. It almost feels like wilful negligence,” said the official, who wished to remain anonymous due to potential repercussions.
Dr Laurie Marker, one of the world’s foremost cheetah experts, said the recent death marks a significant setback.
“[Pavan’s death is] very sad. He had been out for nearly two years, showing how well wild cheetahs can live,” Marker told This Week in Asia.
“Reintroduction is a very, very hard process. We need many cheetahs to re-establish an extinct population. The process is not easy. We will celebrate Pavan’s life for helping his species regain territory in India. I ask all of India to honour him and what he stands for,” Marker said.


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India’s cheetah reintroduction plan faces collapse after the death of its only wild-roaming cat

India’s cheetah reintroduction project, a flagship initiative for Prime Minister Modi, faces a potential collapse after the death of its only wild-roaming cheetah. Photo: Reuters

India welcomed eight cheetahs from Namibia in September 2022, as part of an ambitious drive to reintroduce the big cats into the country after 70 years. Photo: AP

About two dozen cheetahs remain at Kuno National Park in India. Photo: Shutterstock

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Experts criticised the project’s lack of planning and implementation, highlighting the need for a better approach to habitat restoration and conservation


Experts criticised the project’s lack of planning and implementation, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive approach to habitat restoration and conservation.


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