India's Project Cheetah is the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release Cheetahs brought from Namibia into Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park on Saturday, September 17, which also happens to be his birthday.

The Cheetah - regarded to be the fastest land mammal in the world - was declared extinct from India in 1952.

The release of wild Cheetahs by the Prime Minister in Kuno National Park is part of his efforts to revitalise and diversify India’s wildlife and its habitat, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Thursday.

The Cheetahs that would be released are from Namibia and have been brought under an MoU signed earlier this year. A special Indian aircraft was sent to transport the Cheetahs from Namibia, which has one of the world's largest populations of the spotted feline.

The introduction of Cheetah in India is being done under Project Cheetah, which the PMO described as the "world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project".

The PMO went on to explain the value of cheetahs to India's environment and how they improve ecological functions including soil moisture conservation, carbon sequestration, and water security, all of which are advantageous to society as a whole. It added,

"This effort, in line with the Prime Minister’s commitment towards environment protection and wildlife conservation, will also lead to enhanced livelihood opportunities for the local community through eco-development and ecotourism activities."

For the country's conservation ethic and culture, the cheetah holds a very significant place in history. There would be significant conservation implications if the cheetah were to return to India.

Cheetahs are among the great carnivores with the fewest conflicts with human interests since they pose a minimal threat to people and often do not target large cattle.