Rapid Fire
International Cheetah Day
- 05 Dec 2025
- 2 min read
The Prime Minister of India marked International Cheetah Day (4th December) by noting India’s progress under Project Cheetah.
- International Cheetah Day: Designated by American zoologist Dr. Laurie Marker, founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, in memory of a cheetah named Khayam that she raised, the Day highlights global efforts to prevent the species’ extinction and strengthen conservation.
- Project Cheetah: India launched Project Cheetah in 2022 to reintroduce cheetahs after more than 70 years of extinction.
- Operated under Project Tiger, it is the world’s first intercontinental translocation of a large wild carnivore and follows the Cheetah Action Plan.
- The project aims to establish breeding populations in suitable habitats, use cheetahs as a flagship species to restore open forests and savannas, promote eco-development and ecotourism through community awareness.
- It is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in partnership with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India, with oversight from the Cheetah Project Steering Committee set up in 2023.
- Achievements: Under the project, 8 cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa were relocated to Kuno National Park.
- As of December 2025, India is home to 32 cheetahs, including 21 born in the country.
| Read more: Project Cheetah and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary |
