New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday marked International Cheetah Day by drawing attention to India’s progress in the conservation and the broader national effort to restore its ecological heritage, while acknowledging the role of local communities in driving this mission forward.
International Cheetah Day is observed every year on December 4 to spread awareness about the challenges faced by cheetahs, the world’s fastest land animals, and to highlight global conservation initiatives aimed at ensuring their survival.
The observance serves to educate people about the threats confronting this iconic species and the need for sustained environmental protection.
Sharing a message on X, the Prime Minister said, “On International Cheetah Day, my best wishes to all wildlife lovers and conservationists dedicated to protecting the cheetah, one of our planet’s most remarkable creatures.”
He recalled that the government had launched Project Cheetah three years ago with a clear objective of securing this “magnificent animal” and rejuvenating the ecosystem necessary for its long-term survival.
PM Modi described the initiative as a step to “revive lost ecological heritage and strengthen our biodiversity”.
The Prime Minister noted that India today takes pride in hosting several cheetahs, including many born within the country. He emphasised that the animals are now thriving in habitats such as Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, and said it was encouraging to witness growing interest in cheetah tourism.
“Many of them now thrive in the Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. It is heartening to see cheetah tourism growing in popularity as well. I encourage more wildlife enthusiasts from across the world to visit India and witness the cheetah in all its splendour,” he said.
PM Modi further underlined that the advancement made in cheetah conservation could not have been achieved without the participation of citizens.
“Our progress in cheetah conservation has been possible only through the collective support of our people, especially our dedicated Cheetah Mitras. Protecting wildlife and living in harmony with nature are integral to India’s civilisational ethos, and we see that spirit alive today in these efforts,” he added.
PM Modi has given a major push to the Cheetah conservation in the country. He was instrumental in launching ‘Project Cheetah’, an intercontinental large wild carnivore translocation project, to reintroduce cheetahs into India after they were declared extinct in the country in 1952.
The project was launched on September 17, 2022, with the release of eight cheetahs from Namibia into Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh by PM Modi.
With this, the long-extinct Cheetahs were back into the country’s ecosystem.
International Cheetah Day was instituted by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a prominent organisation committed to protecting cheetahs globally.
The date commemorates the life of ‘Khayam’, a cheetah cub raised by CCF founder Dr Laurie Marker, whose story helped draw worldwide attention to the urgent need for conservation measures as cheetah populations declined rapidly.
Historically spread across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, cheetahs today confront significant threats arising from habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade and conflict with human settlements. Their numbers have dwindled sharply, with fewer than 7,000 remaining in the wild. Some subspecies, including the Asiatic cheetah, are now listed as critically endangered, underscoring the importance of ongoing conservation efforts both in India and internationally.
(IANS)
