WATCH: How India's Last Cheetahs Were 'Hunted and Maimed' Before Their Extinction

Eight cheetahs from Namibia have arrived in Gwalior and are taken to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh by helicopter. The big cats will roam in the forests of India 70 years after they were declared extinct in the country. On the arrival of the Cheetahs, Indian Forest Officer (IFS) Parveen Kaswan shared how Asian cheetahs were domesticated by the hunters and used as a hunting tool. He shared an archive video from 1939 by Wilderness Films India Ltd.

In the viral clip, it can be seen that a man is petting a cheetah casually and then the big cats were carried on bullock carts for hunting. “When Cheetah are coming back to India. A look at how the last of the lots were hunted, maimed and domesticated for hunting parties. Video made in 1939. 1/n,” the caption read.

The IFS officer added another video of hunters using cheetahs as a hunting weapon and how the fastest animal hunted its prey. “Historical record suggests cheetah were in the least conflict with humans. Rather they were domesticated and used by hunting parties widely. Even some used to call them ‘hunting leopards’. 2/n,” he added.

The video continues on the third thread of the tweet in which the endangered species can be seen relishing its prey by the end of the clip. The text of the caption read: “Not only cheetah but most of the charismatic animals were hunted in those days by kings and Britishers. Until the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 was passed it was very late. Cheetah were already extinct from India. Footage is archive of Wilderness Films India Ltd. 3/3 (sic).”

The IFS officer also shared a painting from Marriane North’s book. The painting depicted cheetahs and lynxes sitting on the jute cots as they were chained like domestic animals. “A painting from 1878 from Marriane North’s book. See how cheetahs and lynxes are chained like domestic dogs. The scene is from Alwar or Rajasthan,” he stated.

He also added an archive picture of a cheetah standing in front of the hunters.

He used another snap as his testimonials to make people aware of conserving the flora and fauna that might get extinct in future. “Another hunting cheetah in India from Prince of Wales visit in 1921-22. These cheetah were used to catch antelopes. These pictures are testimonials that if we don’t pay attention to conservation what remains only is picture. Once found in #India now they are extinct,” the description read.

He concluded the tweet thread by adding another photo that shows three dead cheetahs lying in front of the King of Koriya which were hunted in 1947.

In 1952 the government officially declared the extinction of the Asian cheetah and the then government passed the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972 to protect the flora and fauna in the country.

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