Innovative Millenium Action Plan For The Reintroduction Of Extinct Cheetah In India: Success Or Failure Will Depend On Application Of AI Technology?

Abstract

Abstract:The Asian cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus (venaticus) is a mesopredator or mesocarnivore thatevolved more than 5.5 million years ago in the Miocene period isone among other cats classifiedin the family Felidae, is one of the fastest marvelous cursorial cat its average speed being 110km/ hr attainable in 3 seconds and is denoted as a “ Biological Mesopredator Missile” byD.R.Saxena (2008 – 2026) that once roamed in the Indian jungles and has been extincted in1949, but officially declared in 1952.Cheetah in the past survived in India and is being currentlytranslocated from S.African countries into one of the most suitable Savannah like habitat in theKuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, is one of the 10 sites researched from all angles tobe suitable for its repatriation or reintroduction to reestablish its population.It is currentlysurviving elsewhere globally.It coexisted with major predators the lions, tigers, leopards, hyenasand other carnivores in the wild. One or few reports were documented when cheetah attackedand killed humans. When provoked or harassed by humans in the wild or in captive breeding itbehaves ferociously, otherwise it is a good tempered, non aggressive and highly tameableanimal.Three to four males 4 to 5 years age group and four to six females of over 2.5 years age,from different backgrounds would be housed in Jakoda grassland of Kuno WLS in separatecompartments in 25 ha curved enclosures through which they are able to notice and becomefamiliar with each other.Female home ranges overlap due to tolerance and social ‐ bondingbehavior.The present 1.5m height of fencing will later be raised to 2.5 m and an additional line ortwo of power fence will be fitted to keep off the leopards. The femalecheetahs born in India , oneof them named as Mukhi gave birth to five cubs, making her a prominent nani ( grandmother) ofthe new generation in India. AI assisted provision – dispensing stationary systems as well as theAI controlledbiomonitoring robotic and drone technology may prove a boon in disguise inreestablishment of heterozygous cheetah population in India. AI assisted, RE, GIS, GPS methods in the conservation of reintroduction of cheetah have been highlighted. It is speculated thatmutations in the egg mt - DNA prior to fertilization of the eggs and in maternal mt - DNA in thezygote may be helping in encoding predatory instinct, survival as well as evolution of both theprey - predator.AI used tracking of the carnivore that are troublesome for cheetah and innovativestrategy to prevent this is essential.The procurement of food, digestion, metabolism, energy -cycle, predatory - kinetics, breeding, stress related destruction - regeneration of body cells,senescence, ageing, survival, longevity have been discussed.After feeding on the hunted prey, thestressed organ systems, tissues and cells, regain from the oxidative stress and harmful radicalsthat are formed at the time of hunting or chasing the prey. The caspases (proteases) initiatecascade mechanism to eliminate the damaged cells, so that infections at such sites and sepsisconditions don't develop and poison the animal body. It's a way to regenerate worn out cells andstructurally as well as functionally reorganize the organs once again. This is significant forsurvival. Several apoptotic genes regulate this highly complex process. On the contrary theregenerative genes bring about cell renewal at certain controlled mitotic turnover rates can bedescribed as the "wound healing mechanism".Sometimes the cheetah may not fully recover fromstress until the next predation.Cheetah has genes for endurance, durability that help in theirsurvival as well as evolving in the era of climate change. Health of cheetah, survival, longevity,and adaptations, have a bearing on reproduction and increase in population. All the abovementioned factors must be considered in the conservation - management of cheetah in theirnative regional habitats and when reintroduced elsewhere.At present the total population ofcheetah is 60.