International Cheetah Day

Every year on December 4, we celebrate the fastest animal on land, the cheetah. This big cat is known for its speed and their brown, spotted coats. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), cheetahs are a “vulnerable” species. This means their population is steadily declining and they are at a risk of extinction. 

It is estimated that less than 7,000 cheetahs are remaining in the world. Namibia, a country in Southern Africa, holds one-third of the world’s cheetahs. In India, as of November 2023, there are only 20 cheetahs. All of them are located in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park. 

Several decades ago, India was home to the Asiatic cheetah, but in the 1950s, they were declared extinct due to hunting and loss of habitat. 

In 2022, the Indian government attempted to reintroduce cheetahs in India by relocating 20 cheetahs from Namibia to India. The cheetahs were introduced to the Kuno National Park. This was the first time in 70 years that cheetahs walked on Indian land. This also marked the final phase of the Project Cheetah. 

A few of the cheetahs, including cubs, passed away due to health conditions after a few months of living at Kuno National Park. 

On this day, let us educate ourselves about the importance of having cheetahs in our ecosystem and celebrate these big cats!