India: Another cheetah dies at Kuno National Park, third death in 40 days

In the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, a female cheetah named Daksha, who had been brought from South Africa, was killed during a fight with other cheetahs inside the park. As per PTI reports, Daksha was killed after a "violent interaction" with the Phinda adult male coalition, also known as the White Walkers, which included Vayu and Agni.Kuno has lost three cheetahs including Daksha, since the cats were brought from South Africa and Namibia.

Since last year, nine cheetahs have been introduced to the national park, of which two died in March and April.

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A captive-bred cheetah named Sasha passed away in March from kidney failure that she had been suffering from ever since she was brought to India. She started showing signs of weakness and exhaustion on January 23, at which point authorities tranquillised her and sent her to a quarantine area where she would receive care.

The second Cheetah, Uday, was discovered sick in the national park in April and passed away while receiving treatment.

According to the ministry, the cheetahs would be permitted to leave KNP and won't necessarily be recaptured unless they venture into areas where they are in significant danger.

India'scheetah reintroduction operation

Four of the eight cheetahs that were brought over from Namibia have so far been freed from their caged acclimatisation camps and placed in the KNP's free-range habitat.

In September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs that had been brought in from Namibia into a special enclosure at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

As part of the cheetah reintroduction operation, the cheetahs were flown in a special jet from Namibia to Gwalior. Later, two Indian Air Force helicopters transported the animals to the national park.

In February, 12 additional cheetahs arrived in India from South Africa. The second group of cheetahs arrived at the Air Force base in Gwalior before being sent to Kuno National Park.

Cheetah went extinct in India in 1952

In the majority of countries, cheetah numbers are dropping. South Africa is an exception to this trend because there is no more space for the cats there.

These majestic animals, known as "the smallest of the big cats," can reportedly outrun the fastest Yamaha bike. Due to intensive poaching during the time before independence, they became extinct in India in 1952. In 1948, a cheetah was last seen in the Sal forests of Chhattisgarh's Koriya district.

(With inputs from agencies)

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