Introduction of African Cheetah in India | 29 Jan 2020

Recently, the Supreme Court has lifted its seven-year-long stay on a proposal to introduce African Cheetahs from Namibia into the Indian habitat.
Court has now allowed to initiate the re-introduction of foreign Cheetahs into the Palpur Kuno sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh on an experimental basis. In 1952, the Asiatic Cheetah was officially declared extinct from India.

Sr. No.	Parameter	African Cheetah	Asiatic Cheetah
1.	IUCN status	Vulnerable	Critically Endangered.
2.	CITES status	Appendix-I of the List. This List comprises of migratory species that have been assessed as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range.	Appendix-I of the List.
3.	Habitat	Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs present in the wild.	40-50 found only in Iran.
4.	Physical Characteristics	Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.	Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has more fur, a smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance.
5.	Image

Note:

According to the United Nations, Cheetahs are listed as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, but a recent study revealed the decline in its significant population. Hence, scientists are demanding for cheetahs to be uplisted to “Endangered” category.
In North Africa and Asia, they are considered to be “Critically Endangered.”