India has achieved a significant milestone with its Project Cheetah, which aims to return the fastest land mammal in the world to its natural range. Officials confirm that Gujarat’s Banni grasslands are ready to host cheetahs. On July 16, 2025, officials announced that the most extensive grassland area on the Indian subcontinent was prepared to receive cheetahs, marking a significant milestone in establishing a functioning cheetah population in India.

The Banni Grasslands: The Sustainable Habitat

The Banni Grasslands form an arid habitat on the southern fringe of the Rann of Kutch, covering 3,847 square kilometers in Gujarat’s Kutch region. Its low-growing forbs, graminoids, and sporadic trees resemble the natural vegetation of African grasslands, savannahs, and scrublands favored by cheetahs. According to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the area is ideal for reintroduction because it supports a diverse range of animals, including nilgai, chinkara, blackbuck, and over 150 bird species.

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Gujarat’s Banni Grasslands Ready to Host Cheetahs: Comprehensive Preparations

The Gujarat Forest Department has implemented several measures to ensure the successful reintroduction of cheetahs:

• 600-hectare enclosure with soft-release bomas, quarantine zones, veterinary facilities, and CCTV surveillance
• 250 prey animals introduced, including spotted deer, blackbucks, sambar, and chital
• Fencing was installed to block the entry of leopards and other large predators
• Veterinarians trained at Kuno National Park, the first African cheetah translocation site in India

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved the construction of a cheetah conservation breeding centre in Banni, featuring open-air isolation enclosures that allow cheetahs to court and mate as they would in the wild.

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Collaborative Efforts

The project involves strong collaboration with Vantara, a conservation facility operated by the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, where Vantara will provide technical support, veterinary assistance, and scientific expertise, as it has already successfully restored spotted deer. “We are ready with everything, including quarantine and soft-release bomas,” said Jaipal Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Gujarat.

Timeline and Decision-Making

Ten cheetahs (five males and five females) are scheduled to be shifted at the end of 2025, subject to approval from the Cheetah Project Steering Committee and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Previously, the NTCA has been working with South Africa, Namibia, and Kenya to acquire suitable cheetahs and has budgeted a total of ₹20 crore for the project, with ₹12 crore allocated for the first phase.

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Project Cheetah: Purpose and Issues

Initiated in 2022, Project Cheetah seeks to reinstate cheetahs in India, support grassland restoration, and improve local livelihoods. By September 2024, Kuno National Park will have 24 cheetahs, 12 adults and 12 cubs, of which 20 adults were translocated from Namibia and South Africa. However, there are obstacles to the project, including the deaths of eight adults, excessive mortality, and stress-related harmful effects due to frequent chemical immobilizations, which support the need for a rethink.

Current Cheetah Population in India

Note: Data as of September 2024, The Indian Express.

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Environmental and Community Aspects

Approximately 45,000 Maldhari pastoralists reside in the Banni Grasslands, where they practice grazing as their livelihood; therefore, participatory planning is essential, particularly in light of ongoing land tenure issues related to conservation actors in Banni.

India’s planned reintroduction of cheetahs to the Banni Grasslands reflects the country’s ongoing commitment to ecological restoration and international conservation efforts. Although challenges exist, such as the deaths of cheetahs and concerns about the unexpected consequences, there is evidence of success in preparing habitats, improving breeding rates, and developing the Indigenous ecological restoration movement.

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