Project Cheetah: Five New Cubs Born in Kuno National Park
In a boost to India's cheetah reintroduction program, five new cubs have been born to a translocated Namibian cheetah in Kuno National Park.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Five new cheetah cubs born in Kuno National Park.
- Born to a Namibian cheetah named 'Aasha'.
- Part of the world's first intercontinental translocation project.
- Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Very High | 12–20 | Environment and Ecology is a separate section in UPSC Prelims. GS-III includes environment, climate change, and disaster management. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–5 | National parks, Ramsar sites, pollution levels, and climate summits appear in SSC GK. |
| State PCS / PSC | High | 5–8 | State PCS papers test both central environment policy and state-specific conservation achievements. |
| Railway (RRB NTPC / Group D) | High | 3–6 | Environment is a reliable Railway GK category — national parks, endangered species, pollution. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- New Ramsar sites, UNESCO sites, Biosphere Reserves: name, state/country, reason for designation
- Climate summit outcomes: COP targets, India's commitments, new agreements
- Pollution data: India's air quality rank, river clean-up updates, plastic ban updates
- Endangered species: IUCN category, habitat, threats, conservation project
- Environmental laws and policies: recent amendments to Environment Protection Act, Forest Rights Act
Practice Questions
Q1. In which state is Kuno National Park located?
- Rajasthan
- Gujarat
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
Explanation: Kuno National Park is located in Madhya Pradesh.
Q2. In which year was the cheetah officially declared extinct in India?
- 1947
- 1952
- 1972
- 1991
Explanation: The cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in 1952.
How to Prepare Environment for Government Exams
Ramsar sites and World Heritage Site additions are announced annually. Compile the year's additions — they are direct exam questions.
For UPSC, understand the international treaty context: Paris Agreement, CBD, CITES, Ramsar — know what each treaty does.
Climate news = policy news. Always note the government response to any environmental event — that's what UPSC Mains tests.
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