Cheetahs return to India: When animals were brought back from the brink of extinction

After a gap of 74 years, India on Saturday (17 September) became home to cheetahs once again . Eight cheetahs — five males and three females — made the journey from Africa’s Namibia . They were then taken to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno-Palpur National Park. The reintroduction of the world’s fastest land animal is the culmination of a 12-year-long project dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild. [caption id=“attachment_11253681” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Graphic: Pranay Bhardwaj[/caption] As India witnessed this momentous occasion , here’s a better understanding of what is species reintroduction and also a look at other countries’ attempts at doing so. Species reintroduction explained Species reintroduction is the process whereby a species re-establishes a population where they have previously been driven out of. It starts with choosing the individual, making sure it is healthy, and then choosing where to release it. This activity gains more significance as an increasing number of species are suffering and dwindling in population for decades, if not centuries. As the World Wildlife Federation says, “Life on Earth is as much under threat from the loss of species and habitats as it is from climate change.” Hence, when conservationists and scientists are able to reintroduce animals into their natural environment with the help of ecological genius and dash of luck, the effort should be lauded and celebrated. Through species reintroduction, thousands of birds, rodents, and mammals are being given a renewed chance to thrive in the places they used to call home. Now, that we have understood the basic of species reintroduction, here are some of the world’s most awe-inspiring examples of animals that were successfully reintroduced into the wild. Missing lynx returns The Eurasian Lynx – a type of wild cat – was considered extinct across almost all of Central Europe for 200 years, because of hunting and habitat loss. The lynx has now been successfully reintroduced to Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. This work has been going on since the 1970s, and there are now thought to be between 9,000 to 10,000 Eurasia.

There has also been talks of reintroducing the lynx into Scotland. While some charities — Scotland: The Big Picture, Trees for Life and Vincent Wildlife Trust — believe there are sound ecological reasons for bringing back the third largest predator in continental Europe, rarely glimpsed and not known to attack humans. According to them, previous research has suggested the Scottish Highlands had sufficient habitat — and more than enough roe deer — to support about 400 wild lynx. Steve Micklewright, chief executive of Findhorn-based Trees for Life, was quoted as telling BBC that Scotland had more roe deer than any other European country. He said lynx could help control deer numbers in areas where their feeding harmed natural woodland regeneration. He said: “By preying on roe deer, lynx would restore ecological processes that have been missing for centuries, and provide a free and efficient deer management service.” However, there are strong critics of the idea, with the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) saying a return of the predator would be “wholly unacceptable” to its members. [caption id=“attachment_11253781” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Eurasian Lynx – a type of wild cat – was considered extinct across almost all of Central Europe for 200 years, because of hunting and habitat loss. AFP[/caption] Wild bison returns to the UK Earlier this year, Wild bison made a comeback to the United Kingdom following an absence of thousands of years, thanks to a pioneering scheme to reintroduce these mammals to one of south-east England’s largest areas of ancient woodland. The Wilder Blean project, a partnership of Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust, is returning bison — Europe’s largest land mammals, which can weigh up to a tonne each — to the West Blean and Thornden Woods, a forest dominated by just a few species, namely pines from commercial tree plantations dating back to the 1970s. The bison will knock down trees and trample over shrubs, creating space for new plants to take hold. A greater diversity of flora will attract new insects, birds, and reptiles, and will also help the woods store more carbon, conservationists say. [caption id=“attachment_11253851” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] In the early 20th century bison only survived in captivity after being hunted to extinction in the wild. AP[/caption] Tasmanian devils’ comeback after 3,000 years More than 3,000 years after they died out in mainland Australia, Tasmanian devils were reintroduced in 2020. The carnivorous marsupials took on a renewed presence at a wildlife sanctuary in New South Wales. Tasmanian devils died out on the mainland after the arrival of dingoes and were restricted to the island of Tasmania. However, their numbers suffered another blow from a contagious form of cancer known as Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD), which has killed around 90 per cent of the population since it was discovered in 1996. Conservationists believe that the reintroduction will help control populations of feral cats and foxes that hunt other endangered species. Devils are also scavengers, which helps to keep their environment free from disease. [caption id=“attachment_11253931” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Actors Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky helped conservationists release 11 Tasmanian devils into a wildlife sanctuary in an effort to “rewild” Australia. Image Courtesy: Wildark[/caption] China’s wild horses back from the brink An endangered wild horse species called Przewalski’s horse is said to be the world’s only truly wild horse. Also called the takhi, Mongolian wild horse or Dzungarian horse, they are a rare and endangered horse originally native to the steppes of Central Asia. In China, Przewalski’s horse became extinct because of “excessive poaching and environmental degradation,” as per a Global Times report. However, China began reintroducing the species in 1985 when 11 wild horses were imported from the UK, US and Germany, and since then has bred more than 800 wild horses across six generations. [caption id=“attachment_11253951” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] An endangered wild horse species called Przewalski’s horse is said to be the world’s only truly wild horse. AFP[/caption] Red kites fly back to England Red kites, a large bird of prey, were driven to the brink of extinction in England by the end of the 19th century, as they were considered a threat to game birds and pets. But the reintroduction of red kites to the UK has been “one of the greatest conservation success stories of the 20th century,” says the Chilterns Conservation Board. In 1992, during a four-year reintroduction project, two Welsh birds and 11 Spanish birds from the region of Spain’s Navarre were released in the Chilterns Hills on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border. It was the beginning of a tremendously successful species reintroduction programme. Following this initial release, the kites started to breed in the wild, and established a self-sustaining and expanding population within the Chilterns which can still be seen to this day. Today, if one travels to Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire now, it’s very likely they will see the iconic red kite wheeling around in the sky searching for carrion and other food. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.