This was the world's first intercontinental translocation of wild cats.
Since then, most of them have been kept in some form of captivity, either in soft enclosures or areas with restricted exercise to monitor their health.
The Cheetah Project has been one of the Modi government's flagship wildlife initiatives, which has seen significant funding diverted from other programmes, with around $58 million spent so far.
Pavan was considered a critical test case for how African cheetahs, which typically live for 10 to 12 years in the wild, can adapt to the Indian wild after being taken into captivity. His death at the age of six now poses a potentially insurmountable challenge to the project.
Dr. Ravi Chellam, a wildlife biologist and conservation scientist, believes that India's cheetah conservation efforts have reached a dead end and there is little hope of revival.
When asked whether the multi-million dollar cheetah project could still be saved, Chellam replied bluntly: “Not really, because we have put the cart before the horse.”
“We should have prepared enough suitable habitat first and then brought the cats here. Instead, the cats have been here in India for almost two years and we are still preparing small fragments of habitat, fencing these areas and focusing on captive breeding,” he said.
Chellam, a fierce critic of the project, added: “It is not even clear what they are trying to achieve with this, other than salvaging some prestige. This poorly planned and even worse implemented project has severely damaged India's reputation in wildlife research, wildlife management and wildlife conservation.”
In another desperate attempt to somehow salvage the project, New Delhi is considering bringing in more cheetahs from Africa to support the reintroduction efforts, according to local media reports.
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Cheetahs are being released back into the wild in India 70 years after their extinction
Cheetahs are being released back into the wild in India 70 years after their extinction
Captivity and conservation
Cheetahs, the fastest land animals in the world, capable of reaching speeds of 110 km/h within three seconds, lived in India until 1967.
Shrinking habitats, extensive land use by humans, low prey density and competition from rival predators such as lions, leopards and tigers led to their extinction.
The official goal of the Cheetah Action Plan, announced in 2021, was to establish a “free-ranging cheetah population that reproduces in the wild.”
However, the big cats have had to continue to be kept in captivity over the past two years because they repeatedly died from fatal bacterial infections such as blood poisoning (sepsis) or accidental injuries.
Pavan's recent death is the 13th loss of its species since March last year, including eight other adults.
There are only 12 adult cheetahs and a dozen cubs left in Kuno National Park.
“Captive-bred cheetahs have no conservation value, particularly since the stated aim is for the cats to play their ecological role and serve as a flagship species for the conservation and restoration of open natural ecosystems such as grasslands, savannah, shrubland, thorn and dry forests,” Chellam said.
When asked about the possible reasons for the project's difficulties, Chellam said: “Poor scientific basis, changing objectives, lack of transparency, disregard for the rule of law, unclear management and a constantly changing narrative.”
The cheetahs were originally scheduled to be released in October last year, but only a few were released in December. Namibian guidelines do not recommend releasing these animals into the wild after long periods of captivity. Critics say the aim of the project has now shifted – whether accidentally or by force – to keeping the cheetahs in captivity rather than letting them roam freely.
Other wildlife experts have raised similar concerns about the challenges posed by the project.
A government official at Kuno National Park noted that enthusiasm for the project had waned significantly due to the regular deaths of the animals.
“When they arrived, there was a lot of attention and resources, but that is no longer the case. It almost feels like willful negligence,” said the official, who asked not to be identified for fear of possible repercussions.
Dr. Laurie Marker, one of the world's leading cheetah experts, said the latest death represents a significant setback.
“[Pavan’s death is] very sad. He was out there for almost two years and showed how well wild cheetahs can live,” Marker told This Week in Asia.
“Reintroduction is a very, very difficult process. We need a lot of cheetahs to restore an extinct population. The process is not easy. We will honor Pavan's life because he helped his species reclaim their territory in India. I request all of India to honor him and what he stands for,” said Marker.
