'Ideologically biased, scientifically unfounded':

New paper rejects criticism of Project Cheetah

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A new paper published on Monday described the criticism of Project Cheetah, which seeks to reintroduce the big cat to India more than 70 years after its extinction in the country, as "ideologically biased, scientifically unfounded and rooted in misinformation".

Published in Frontiers in Conservation Science, the paper titled 'Beyond rhetoric: debunking myths and misinformation on India's Project Cheetah' addressed concerns ranging from animal welfare to scientific validity and community impact.

The paper, written by environment ministry officials, including National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Member Secretary G S Bhardwaj, said that while “constructive criticism is essential", the discourse around Project Cheetah has been "characterized by self-referential arguments, selective use of literature and a disproportionate emphasis on negative outcomes”.

It said that "critics have misrepresented key aspects, such as the use of soft-release bomas, ethical concerns and veterinary interventions, while ignoring the project's adaptive management strategies and measurable progress".

One of the most frequent criticisms has been that the cheetahs are being kept in captivity.

The paper said the cheetahs in Kuno (Madhya Pradesh) are neither held in artificial structures nor dependent on human provisioning. Instead, they were initially held in soft-release bomas, fenced natural enclosures, which are internationally recognised in carnivore re-introductions.