Banni Grasslands in Gujarat Prepared for Cheetah Translocation by Year-End
- Gujarat’s Banni grasslands in the Kutch district are in the spotlight as they have been earmarked as a new site for cheetah translocation under India’s ambitious Project Cheetah. The translocation is expected to take place by the end of 2025, marking a significant step in the expansion of cheetah habitats beyond the initial release site at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
- To prepare the Banni grasslands for the arrival of cheetahs, the Gujarat forest department has undertaken several ecological initiatives. These include the enhancement of the prey base—primarily chinkara and blackbuck populations—and the establishment of a secure enclosure to aid the initial adaptation of the animals to their new environment.
- This move is part of the broader national strategy to restore cheetahs in India, after they were declared extinct in the country in 1952. Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, is India’s first intercontinental large carnivore reintroduction programme. Under this initiative, cheetahs have been translocated from Namibia and South Africa to India. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is the implementing body of this project.
- The initial site for reintroduction, Kuno National Park, witnessed the first batch of cheetahs brought from Africa. However, to ensure the long-term viability of the population, additional sites have been identified, including the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, Guru Ghasidas National Park in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan’s Desert National Park, and Uttar Pradesh’s Kaimur Sanctuary. The Banni grasslands now join this list as a promising location for future reintroductions.
- Banni is Asia’s largest tropical grassland ecosystem and is unique due to its salt-tolerant vegetation and rich biodiversity. It was formed by ancient tectonic movements and lies on the edge of the Rann of Kutch. The region is also culturally significant, inhabited by pastoral communities like the Maldharis and Rabaris, who have coexisted with the landscape for generations.
- The selection of Banni not only supports the ecological objectives of Project Cheetah but also underscores the importance of grassland conservation in India. It presents an opportunity to revive degraded grasslands and raise awareness about their crucial role in supporting wildlife, especially grassland-dependent carnivores like the cheetah.
