Another Namibian Cheetah dies at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, 10th since revival project

Another cheetah died today in the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh - the 10th such death since their reintroduction in India in 2022. The Namibian cheetah was named Shaurya and the cause of death will be known after the post-mortem, said an official statement.  With the death of Shaurya, seven adult cheetahs and three cubs born in India have died since March 2023.

In a statement, the director of the project overseeing the cheetah relocation said the cause of the death could only be ascertained after post-mortem. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) and Director Lion Project said late in the morning the tracking team observed “incoordination and staggering gait" in the animal following which Shaurya was tranquilized.  

Around 3:17 p.m., the Namibian cheetah passed away due to lack of response to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Postmortem examination is the only way to determine the cause of death.

A total of 20 animals were relocated from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park in two batches under the government's Project Cheetah. The first batch came in September 2022 and the second in February 2023.

The initiative is an ambitious endeavour by India to bring back cheetahs in the wild. In the nation, cheetahs went extinct around seven decades ago. In August 2023, a female cheetah 'Dhatri' was found dead in Kuno National Park. Four months back, in March, a Namibian cheetah named Sasha died due to kidney complications.
 

• Cheetah
• Kuno National Park
• Madhya Pradesh
• Namibia
• Namibian Cheetah
• South Africa