Indian Oil signed an MoU with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for transcontinental relocation of ‘Cheetah’ in its historical range in India, on August 2.
- Indian Oil is the first corporate which has come forward to support the “Project Cheetah” under CSR.
- This is in continuation with the MoU signed on 20th July 2022 between Government of India and Government of Namibia on wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity utilization, for establishing the cheetah into the historical range in India.
- Indian Oil will be contributing Rs.50.22 crore in 4 years for the project components viz. Cheetah Introduction, its Habitat Management & Protection, Eco Development, Staff Training and Veterinary Healthcare.
About ‘Project Cheetah’
- ‘Project Cheetah’ is one-of-a-kind projects in which a species is being restored in the country by bringing it from out of the country (from South Africa / Namibia).
- Under this project, a source population of 8-10 Cheetahs will be flown in from Namibia and South Africa and will be introduced at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
- It is a national project involving National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Govt. of India and the State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh.
- NTCA is the nodal agency authorized by MoEF&CC for funding, supervision and hand holding. Indian Oil will contribute its CSR funds to NTCA, which shall co-ordinate with the State Govt. of Madhya Pradesh and other agencies involved in the project.
- It is noteworthy that the subspecies of Cheetah which got extinct in India was Asiatic Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) and the subspecies being introduced back in the country is African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus).
- Research has shown that genes of these two subspecies are the same. The Cheetah introduction project in Kuno National Park involves creating a 500-hectare predator proof enclosure for a ‘soft release’ of the feline.
