LION’S FUTURE CHEETAH’S PAST
African Cheetahs will be imported from Namibia and another 12 from South Africa, for a soft release in a compartmentalized enclosure ready at Kuno National park in Madhya Pradesh to establish the Cheetah into its “historical range”. However as underlined by the Supreme Court introduction and not reintroduction, would be the right term for the project since African Cheetahs could not have ever roamed Kuno.
RELEASE (In Phased Manner)
Once cheetahs arrive in Kuno, the plan is to keep male coalitions (groups) and individual females in separate but adjoining compartments so that they can know each other before release.
The enclosure will be stocked with natural prey to ensure that the animals get accustomed to hunting Indian prey species before their release.
Radio–collared male coalitions will be released first after 12 months. The presence of females in the enclosure, the project’s Action Plan says, will ensure that the males do not wander too far away.
After their exploration instinct is satiated.
In the next phase, the radio-collared females will be released,1-4 weeks after the males, depending on how the males settle down in the new environment.
TARGET MILESTONE
If all goes well, the population should reach its limit of 21 within Kuno in about 15 years. During this period, a few other smaller cheetah reserves will be created in Rajasthan and elsewhere in MP. For at least five years and up to 10 years, a fresh supply of cheetah will continue from Africa.
Once the greater Kuno landscape is secured and restored, the largest population is projected to go up to 36 cheetahs in 30-40 yearsIS THAT ENOUGH?
The project’s population viability Analysis has shown a high probability of long-term cheetah persistence. Within populations that exceed 50 individuals, or when smaller populations are managed as an (interconnected) Metapopulation.
Even the largest projected population falls short of that viability threshold, and there is not much natural connectivity to speak of for cheetahs to travel from one habitat to another.
The solution is to borrow the South African model that periodically translocates individual animals from one fenced-off reserve to another for maintaining genetic diversity
PROBLEMS
HABITAT CONNECTIVITY-Creating and maintaining a few small island populations is not quite the same as the popular idea of bringing back the cheetah that one roamed in the Indian wild.
The biggest challenge facing conservation in India is how to maintain habitat connectivity that keeps meta –populations self–sufficient (genetically viable) to perform their ecological roles.
HUMAN INTERVENTIONS-The model of establishing populations that will depend on human intervention for survival effectively reduces protected areas to glorified open zoos.
INTRODUCING EXOTIC REPLACEMENT FOR EXTINCT SPECIES-The Cheetah project also promises to benefit endangered grassland species, such as the endangered Indian wolf and the near extinct great Indian Bustard (GIB)
In the umbrella approach of conservation, multiple species in a forest are protected in the name of a flagship species i.e. tiger. There is no justification as to why one must introduce an exotic replacement for an extinct species to save indigenous species.
Wolves for example are the keystone species in Nauradehi and would have to compete with cheetahs. The majestic GIB is potential prey for cheetahs. The project excluded Jaisalmer’s Desert National Park because “putting the cheetah in with the bustard cannot be contemplated at all, because of the threats to this cost gravely endangered bird. And yet, it recommends erstwhile GIB habitats for the cheetah, in effect denying the bird any chance of habitat recovery
NOT LION VS CHEETAH
Several conservationists are riled by what they term “willful contempt of the supreme court “that in April 2013 set a six-month deadline for shifting lions to Kuno. The contempt case was dismissed in 2018 after the government assured the Supreme court that its order would be followed. Many blame the Gujarat government for stubbornly refusing to share lions even after its review and curative petitions were dismissed by the SC.
Instead, Kuno is getting cheetahs ostensibly to serve a host of grassland ecosystem services, all of which could be served by lions, an apex species. The cheetah project is open to the introduction of lions to Kuno after the cheetah population settles down.
But the government’s draft 25- year plan for Project Lion focuses on assisted natural dispersal with no scope for relocation outside Gujarat.
Yet it is not about the competing interests of two wild species but India’s misplaced conservation priorities.
misplaced conservation priorities.
KEY TERMS
What is a flagship species?
A flagship species is a species selected to act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a defined habitat, issue, campaign or environmental cause. Flagship species are also known as charismatic species.
Flagship species are the species that are on the verge of extinction.
By focusing on, and achieving conservation of that species, the status of many other species which share its habitat – or are vulnerable to the same threats - may also be improved.
Flagship species are usually relatively large, and considered to be 'charismatic' in western cultures.
Flagship species may or may not be keystone species and may or may not be good indicators of biological processes. The main objectives of flagship species are:
The unique features of these animals help in attracting society’s attention.
Raising awareness about the protection and conservation of these species.
Categories of Flagship Species
Flagship species can be divided into three different categories:
International Flagship Species: These are the species that are recognized throughout the world e.g. giant panda
Cultural Flagship Species: These species represent a specific culture e.g. Bornean Ironwood is specific to the Dayak tribe. It is used for medicinal purposes and night rituals.
Ecological Flagship Species: These represent species with unique diversity e.g. Malagasy Baobab found in Madagascar.
Benefits of Flagship Species
The flagship species such as pandas and elephants help in generating revenue through visits to institutions where they are kept. This revenue helps in the protection and sustainability of species.
The flagship species attract the public due to its unique features. This way the plight of such creatures can be brought to the notice of society and strategies can be implemented to improve their condition. This creates awareness regarding biodiversity conservation among individuals.
What is priority species?
The terms “flagship” and “keystone” have generally consistent definitions across the conservation community, however, “priority species” is a WWF term, and is solely for planning and simple communication.
For WWF, a “priority species” may be either a flagship or a keystone species and is chosen to represent an eco-region or region.
A “priority species” is reflective of a key threat across that ecoregion - such that conservation of the species will contribute significantly to a broader threat mitigation outcome. It is often crucial to the economic and/or spiritual well-being of people within that ecoregion.
What is a keystone species?
A keystone species is a species that plays an essential role in the structure, functioning or productivity of a habitat or ecosystem at a defined level (habitat, soil, seed dispersal, etc).
The disappearance of such species may lead to significant ecosystem change or dysfunction which may have knock-on effects on a broader scale. Examples include the elephant's role in maintaining habitat structure, and bats and insects in pollination.
By focusing on keystone species, conservation actions for that species may help to preserve the structure and function of a wide range of habitats which are linked with that species during its life cycle.
What is an indicator species?
An indicator species is a species or group of species chosen as an indicator of, or proxy for, the state of an ecosystem or a certain process within that ecosystem.
Examples include crayfish as indicators of freshwater quality; corals as indicators of marine processes such as siltation, seawater rise and sea temperature fluctuation; peregrine falcons as an indicator of pesticide loads; or native plants as indicators for the presence and impact of alien species.
