Since September 2022, India has translocated eight African cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa. This is part of a long-term conservation plan to re-introduce the wild cat into the country after it became extinct in the 1950s, primarily due to hunting. The aim is to be able to build a self-sustaining population, centred at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, which will also contribute to the global survival of the cheetah as a species.

Can the cheetahs thrive in India and help India’s grasslands? Here we discuss the question.

Guests: Rajesh Gopal, a former forest officer closely involved with Project Tiger, now heads the Global Tiger Forum; Ravi Chellam, former member of an expert committee to guide the translocation of the Asiatic Lion, and CEO, Metastring Foundation

Host: Jacob Koshy

Is this what it’s coming to?