India prepared to bring back cheetah, protected areas restored: Wildlife experts

 India is prepared to bring back cheetah, which became extinct 70 years ago, as species' protected areas have been restored, according to wildlife experts.

country is in a condition where it is ecomically possible to restore lost herit, Wildlife Institute of India (WWI) senior scientist Y V Jhala said at a session of 13th Conference of Parties to Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species and Wild Animals.

In January, Supreme Court h allowed government to introduce African cheetah to a suitable habitat in country on an experimental basis to see wher it can apt to Indian conditions.

Stating that rare Indian cheetah is almost extinct in country, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) h sought court's permission to relocate African cheetah from Namibia.

" main cause behind losing cheetah has been historical hunting coupled with population growth with loss of prime habitat of cheetahs to agriculture," Jhala said at session hosted by Wildlife Conservation Society.

"w that India is in a condition where it is ecomically possible to restore our lost herit, we have restored all protected areas where cheetahs can be brought back to," said Jhala, who also hes WWI's tiger team.

Restorative ecology is a global rm and "we try to get back what we have lost", he said.

Historical threats in protected areas have been negated and it is time to consider bringing back cheetah to subcontinent, Jhala said.

"With ecomic means, political will..., government's initiative to bring cheetahs is strengned furr," he said.

Inspector General of Forests at Union Forest Ministry Soumitra Dasgupta said he was hopeful that reintroduction of cheetah in subcontinent will take place soon.

"It is interesting to talk about a species that has h its downs and upcoming ups. It is a fantastic occasion and an opportunity for India to showcase some of good deeds we have done in species conservation," he said.

"We are proud that India has something for conservation of any species you name," Dasgupta said.

Unfortunately, re is one species that "we have lost, that is cheetah", he said.

"We are hopeful that introduction of cheetah in Indian subcontinent will take place soon. Under instructions of apex court, a committee comprising of an expert has been constituted.

"This committee will be working, suggesting and recommending introduction of cheetah in India and process will be taken forward by National Tiger Conservation Authority," Dasgupta said.