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Will consult experts on cheetah deaths, Centre assures top court
Nine cheetahs, including three cubs born in India, have died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh since March 2023
The Centre on Monday assured the Supreme Court that foreign experts will be consulted to prevent cheetah deaths in the future as the court refused to “thrust” any experts of its own on the existing steering committee.
Nine cheetahs, including three cubs born in India, have died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh since March 2023.
A bench headed by justice BR Gavai said, “Whether a particular person be nominated to the committee is left exclusively to the Union of India and we do not wish to thrust any person on the committee...”
The court order came on an application moved by wildlife expert MK Ranjitsinh who told the court that cheetah deaths at the Kuno National Park are a matter of concern as international experts are not being consulted and none among the 11-member Cheetah Project Steering Committee is an expert on cheetahs.
The Centre represented by additional solicitor general (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati told the court that media reports of nine cheetah deaths is incorrect as only six of the 20 that were brought to the country from Africa have died, and the other three deaths are that of cubs born in India who developed an infection on being exposed to the harsh summer. The cubs developed a “winter coat” in anticipation of African winter, during summer in India, Bhati added.
The additional solicitor general also disputed a letter produced by Ranjitsinh written on behalf of four South African cheetah experts on July 15, expressed concern over the management of Project Cheetah and alleged that “expert opinion was being ignored” by the Project Steering Committee.
Bhati cited an email dated July 20 where two of the said experts sought withdrawal of the letter as it was issued without their consent. She informed the court that inter-continental translocation of cheetahs is happening for the first time in the world and though their survival is expected to be low, the deaths are not alarming as a lot of positive news is emerging from Kuno on how well the cheetahs are adapting in the wild.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Prashanto Chandra Sen who appeared for Ranjitsinh suggested that his client as well as another wildlife expert YS Jhala be added to the committee.
The bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra said, “This area is best left to experts in the field as we do not possess any expertise. We see no reason to disbelieve the Centre.” The court added that lack of cheetah experts is obvious as cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952.
Senior advocate Prashanto Chandra Sen who appeared for Ranjitsinh suggested that his client as well as another wildlife expert YS Jhala be added to the committee.
The bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra said, “This area is best left to experts in the field as we do not possess any expertise. We see no reason to disbelieve the Centre.” Moreover, the Court said that the lack of cheetah experts is obvious as they were declared extinct in India in 1952. “Maybe, all the experts are on the same page on what is to be done. Why should we disbelieve the government. Merely because you feel you are an expert, should you be there,” the Court told Ranjitsinh’s lawyer.
The Court allowed Sen to make any further suggestions to the Centre and directed that the same be taken up in the right earnest.
Bhati said that cheetah is a vulnerable species and though the Government seeks to reintroduce 12-14 cheetahs every year, a lot of preparation has to precede that in setting up alternate habitats. The Court had on earlier occasions suggested if the deaths could be averted by shifting some of the cheetahs to alternate sites.
Bhati said, “The project is very much in the stage of positive progression and there is nothing which is a cause for alarm.” So far, there is no negative interaction of cheetahs with humans. These cheetahs are chasing, hunting, mating, courting and fighting other carnivores for survival, she said, adding, “in this negative media publicity over deaths, it is imperative to see what we have achieved.”
Of the 14 translocated cheetahs still surviving along with a cub, Bhati said that the committee has undertaken a review of the project and monitoring their medical status. In an affidavit filed on July 31, the Centre suggested that the death of six cheetahs is due to natural causes and there is nothing to be unduly alarmed as the survival rate of cheetahs in their natural habitat is about 50%. This rate drops in translocated environment.
At one point during the hearing, the bench did ask, “The sum and substance of what you are saying is everything is well...Point is the concern of the general public and NGOs. What steps have you taken after death of six cheetahs. Have you taken stock of the situation?” The Court told Bhati that the death of cubs due to harsh climatic conditions should have been a factor calculated before translocating cheetahs and wondered if the Committee was alive to these concerns.
Bhati said that as far as cubs are concerned, there can be hardly any intervention as they remain in den. As regards the cheetahs in the wild, she said inputs are taken from experts, including those from Namibia and South Africa, to ensure death of cheetahs can be prevented and managed in a proper manner.
After the translocation of cheetahs in two batches in September 2022 from Namibia and in February this year from South Africa, the top court has been monitoring the implementation of Project Cheetah. In 2020, the Court had allowed for re-introduction of cheetahs at Kuno and directed a committee headed by Ranjitsinh to assist with the successful implementation of Project Cheetah. Later, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Centre informed the Court that they will take assistance of the Court-appointed committee as and when required
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