The Cheetahs, which became extinct in the country many moons ago have returned. It may not seem an insignificant project on the surface, but there is a supreme motive at work. In our childhood, we all visited the Zoo where the wild animals amazed us a thousand times. Their proximity had given us a sense of adventure. Yet how many of us have wondered about the reason behind their existence, or what might happen if the wild animals go extinct? Are we at all connected to the four-legged souls who frolic in our vicinity?
This year, 8 Cheetahs were reintroduced to India from Namibia. Let us explore the probable reasons behind their reintroduction by the honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Reintroduction
A strategy to increase the number of Cheetahs in our country was conceived by the then-environment minister in 2009 but was regrettably rejected by the Supreme Court in 2013. The government revived the project in 2017 and finally, it got the apex court’s approval in 2020 on an experimental basis.
On 17th September 2022, eight Cheetahs were brought from Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India. These five females and three male Cheetahs have been brought to restore the lost treasure of the Indian territory. The objectives behind this transfer are multifarious. Such as:
- Bringing back the lost population of Cheetahs in the Indian habitat,
- Restoring India’s evolutionary balance,
- Supporting the global effort to conserve the animal population.
Now you might be wondering how the Cheetahs became extinct in the first place. The extinction of an entire species is not instantaneous. However, there must be some significant cause of it. Point to be noted that when I refer to the extinction of an entire species, it means extinction from the Indian habitat. The Cheetahs still exist in some parts of Iran and Africa.
According to the sources, the last Asiatic Cheetah was hunted by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo in 1947. The carnivorous animal was entirely wiped out from the subcontinent due to hunting, habitat loss, and their genes. The historical records state that due to their least conflicting nature with humans, the apex predators were hunted, maimed, and domesticated for hunting parties. Apart from hunting and habitat loss, another factor that hampered their population were their genes. The genes of the Cheetahs endangered their survival as they have a very low chance of reproductive success rate. These species do not reproduce quite often or easily, which jeopardizes their existence.
Reasons Behind this Reintroduction:
Several eminent personalities have expressed their skeptical views regarding this reintroduction project. They happen to believe that the Cheetahs have perished for a reason and that reason is ‘Human Pressure.’ Although there have been several questions, our prime minister has stood firm in his decision of restoring Cheetah’s population in Indian forest land. As a result, the ecological balance of our environment is expected to improve.
What is the role of the Cheetah in restoring ecological balance you ask? Well, it is manifold. Let us recollect what we had once learned in our class textbooks. Species and ecosystems are linked, which means what happens to one species can affect the entire ecosystem. Every apex animal has a base of prey which consists of comparatively weaker animals and Cheetahs are apex predators who hunt animals like deer and baboons. In absence of a Cheetah, there will be a robust increase in the deer population, which might lead to overgrazing of crops and plants. The most severe effects of overgrazing include soil erosion, land degradation, and food shortages.
Also, research has shown that when a species disappears, numerous diseases can rise in both animals and humans. For example, without the Cheetahs, the baboon population will grow significantly, which can bring about an outburst of diseases among humans which are transmitted from monkeys.
Thus, it is visible how much a single species may impact the ecosystem as a whole. From my perspective, the reintroduction of Cheetahs may be a move aimed to conserve the global animal population, but there is also a hidden goal of protecting people’s right to a more balanced existence.
Well-being of Humans and Animals are Interlinked
Humans have lost all of nature as a result of the long-standing habit of cruel animal slaughter. Primitive practices of killing animals had no negative financial or legal repercussions because unlike human beings, they did not have any distinct fundamental right to life. Relentless animal slaughter is now a big reason why we no longer have a balanced ecosystem. On the surface, this might seem to be a problem for the creatures that inhabit grasslands, but in reality, it also poses a threat to us. The case of Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja & Ors is a wonderful illustration of how human and animal welfare are interwoven.
In this case, the legal validity of ‘Jallikattu’ was debated. Jallikattu is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu during the Pongal Festival. A bull is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull’s back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. The participants have to ride on the back of the bull as long the flag is not recovered from the bull’s horn.
When the notification was issued on behalf of the ministry of environment and forest banning the use of bulls as performing animals, ending this sport, the fight to outlaw and legalize Jallikattu began. This battle to outlaw ‘Jallikattu’ went on for several years; several rallies and marches have taken place since it was altogether banned by the apex court in 2014. Presently, this sport legally persists in the State of Tamil Nadu as it was exempted from the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in 2017.
The conflict between what is wrong and what is right makes this case a unique one. On one hand, the sport portrays the culture and history of Tamil Nadu and on the other, it is a game of cruelty. So the main question lies here is whether the judgment of this case is correct.
With all due respect to the culture and heritage of the State of Tamil Nadu, I find the decision of banning this sport an appropriate one. Though the bulls are not slaughtered in this game, they are physically and mentally tormented. This game has taken a toll on several human lives as well. In one four-day period in January 2011, 215 people, including 154 spectators, sustained injuries during Jallikattu events. Two people have even died. The spectators have claimed to witness mercilessness in this game. Another statistic shows that between 2008 and 2014, 43 humans and 4 bulls were killed in the jallikattu events.
In the same case, the rights of animals have been considered a part of fundamental rights, and also that citizens have fundamental duties toward them.
Humans have a direct impact on the welfare of animals, what is not known to us is that animals play an important part in human being’s welfare, livelihood, and culture
In many countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Australia a huge amount of revenue is generated from the tourism sector. Their tourism sector largely thrives upon the diverse wildlife form available in these countries. For the people living in these countries, wildlife habitat conservation is very crucial. Similar to other factors, strengthening the tourism industry is one that led to the reintroduction of Cheetahs in our country. Wildlife tourism not only earns millions of dollars, but also generates employment for many people living in rural areas close to the forests. Some of them work as a guide; others work in resorts and hotels which are built for tourists.
Till now some of the direct ways have been discussed in which wildlife forms affect us. Wildlife also benefits people in more indirect ways. Certain species play an important role in preserving the balanced ecosystems necessary to support life on Earth in marine and coastal regions. For example, the kelp forest ecosystem is preserved by sea otters as they restrict the population of sea urchins from destroying the food and habitat of the fish in the sea. The protection and conservation of sea otters, therefore, helps not only marine ecosystems but also coastline regions inhabited by humans.
Conclusion
Animals are hence, the intrinsic part of our life without which it will be impossible for human beings to survive. Long gone are those days when animals were merely used for our selfish purposes. Modern culture is considerably more aware of its relationship with animals and understands how endangered it would be if some species went extinct. Our global leaders have been relentlessly working to bring about legislations in favour of wildlife conservation.
With the recent reintroduction of Cheetahs, it is expected from the government to sensitise the youths and spread awareness of the species among the residents and locals. The government must also take into account protecting the animal’s habitat and that the old mistakes are not repeated again.
About the author:
I am Pritha Chowdhury a Final year student of LLM studying in Calcutta University, West Bengal. I have graduated in the year 2020 from Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College affiliated to the same.
Along with writing, which is my new found love, my utmost interest is in issues of Sexuality and Violence against women and Children.
Stars and Constellations fascinate me.
