(IN) Workshop on Cheetah re-location begins.....

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Environment/Flora-Fauna/Workshop-on-cheetah-\

relocation-begins-views-differ-/articleshow/4991394.cms

 

Workshop on cheetah relocation begins, views differ

9 Sep 2009, 1924 hrs IST, PTI

 

GAJNER (Raj): Strategies to reintroduce the cheetah in the country's wild were

discussed threadbare at a workshop on Wednesday with some experts supporting the

idea even as the government said an in-depth study is required before taking a

decision on the translocation of spotted cats.

 

Cheetah experts from Iran, South Africa, Wildlife Institute of India (WII),

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI)

among others are attending the two-day consultative meeting on cheetah

translocation.

 

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh, who could not make it to the event, sounded

cautious. In a message he said, " There are risk are indubitable. However, I feel

that we owe it to the animal...that was once so ubiquitous in our country to at

least analyse the pros and cons, examine the advantages and risks in a

dispassionate and professional manner drawing on the best international

expertise in the subject. "

 

Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority, said

" Several issues which we face with tiger conservation are relevant in case of

cheetah as well. We started with the wistful thinking of providing buffer areas

to tiger reserves but even after over 30 years we have not been able to do so.

Poaching and man-animal conflicts have taken toll on the striped animal. "

 

WTI, which has conceived the idea is exploring the possibility of introducing

cheetah in India from South Africa where around 10,000 species are left in the

wild, felt that if the plan is seriously considered, cheetahs can be soon be

found leaping in the wild.

 

This project would in no way affect the efforts to conserve the tiger, nor for

that matter any other species or protected areas. In fact, reintroduction of the

cheetah could spearhead rehabilitation of degraded grasslands and stimulate

public interest in conservation of areas of proposed relocation, which are

inhabited by other less glamorous species in need of protection, " said WTI

chairman M K Ranjitsinh, who leads the cheetah reintroduction project.

 

WII has already identified 11 possible habitats in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,

Rajasthan and Jharkhand where cheetahs can be re-populated in the next 30 years.

 

" Self-sustainable population should be our main aim. Desert National Park and

Talchappar in Rajasthan, Bhal, Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary and Banni sanctuary in

Gujarat, Kuno and Nauradhi in Madhya Pradesh can also be considered. But efforts

need to be taken to relocate people and ensure healthy prey-base before the

animal can be released here, " Y Jhala, a senior scientist with WII said.

 

According to Ranjitsinh, a roadmap for reintroducing the spotted cats in the

wild will be prepared and submitted to the environment ministry for further

action.

 

Strongly favouring the project, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) director

Asasd Rahmani said identifying a species like cheetah is always an advantage to

saving disappearing grassland and other endangered animals.

 

" African and Asian cheetahs are similar in nature and have same genetic make-up.

So India can have the animal from South Africa if it is not getting from Iran

(which has already refused to part with its Asian cheetah), " noted cheetah

expert Stephen J O Brien of Laboratory of Genomic Diversity of National Cancer

Institute said.