Banni Grassland Gujarat Readied for Cheetah Reintroduction
Why in the news
Gujarat’s Banni grassland is ready to receive cheetahs under Project Cheetah, with a 600-hectare enclosure and a breeding centre built by the state Forest Department.
Key facts
- A 600-hectare enclosure has been prepared.
- Banni is called Asia’s largest grassland and lies near the Great Rann of Kutch.
- Cheetahs have been extinct in India since 1952.
- Banni is one of ten sites identified for rehabilitation.
- Numbers of prey species such as chital and sambar have been raised.
| Feature | Banni grassland |
|---|---|
| State | Gujarat |
| Vegetation | Sparse, rain-dependent, with salt-tolerant plants |
| People | Maldharis, semi-nomadic herders |
| Wildlife and livestock | Indian wild ass, Banni buffalo, Kankrej cattle |
About Banni
The grassland formed through tectonic activity and mixes wetlands with grassland. The Maldharis are silvipastoralists who rear sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes and camels. Its habitat is said to resemble African savannahs, which suits cheetahs.
Exam angle
- Remember 1952 as the year the cheetah was declared extinct in India.
- Banni, Great Rann of Kutch and Gujarat form a common geography link.
- Cheetahs are the world’s fastest land mammal and do not roar.