Understanding social and scientific conflicts shaping modern wildlife conservation

India’s Project Cheetah (2022–2025) is a significant, high-stakes translocation effort aimed at re-establishing the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) seven decades after its local extinction. This study employs concepts of sociotechnical imaginary and epistemic injustice to analyze the project's contested outcomes, with a focus on the interaction between scientific risk and governance failure. Project Cheetah reached a key milestone with the birth of 22 cubs; however, it was also marked by high initial mortality. By April 2025, the project recorded the loss of 8 adult founder cheetahs (40.0% of the original 20) and 5 cubs (22.7%). Although conservation efforts inherently involve biological risks, our analysis shows that the observed mortality rate exceeded expected ecological thresholds, with a significant concentration around institutional instability. An analysis of cheetah mortality patterns revealed a negative association between survival time and the period immediately following a critical change in project coordination, suggesting that governance disruptions may have contributed to increased mortality. This was worsened by a strong national sociotechnical imaginary of ecological revival, which often overshadowed transparent risk communication and scientific criticism. Limited stakeholder consultation and asymmetric information created conditions for testimonial and hermeneutical injustices, marginalizing the expertise of critical voices. The study concludes that the long-term success of large-scale, transnational rewilding projects depends heavily on institutional capacity, not just ecological suitability. Lessons learned highlight the importance of transparent data management, thorough and inclusive consultation, and honest communication of scientific uncertainty to stakeholders, building the trust needed to sustain such complex political and environmental initiatives.