Cheetah brought from Namibia dies at MP’s Kuno National Park

Shaurya, a cheetah that was relocated from Namibia, passed away at Kuno National Park on January 16, as reported by the news agency ANI. Up to now, the national park has witnessed the demise of seven adult cheetahs and three cubs.

As per an official statement from the additional chief conservator of forests and the director of the Lion Project at Kuno, a tracking team observed signs of incoordination and a staggering gait in Shaurya at approximately 11 am on January 16. This prompted an urgent medical intervention.

Since then, four cubs were born in the park; however, within a span of five months concluding last August, three of the cubs and six other adults passed away. The tenth death was reported on January 16.

Background:

On September 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the initial group of eight Namibian cheetahs into Kuno National Park (KNP) to mark his birth anniversary.

• These cheetahs were moved from Namibia and South Africa as part of a project focused on reintroducing the big cats, which had been extinct in India for several decades.

In the following phase, an additional 12 cheetahs were transported from South Africa.

Unfortunately, out of the total 20 cheetahs translocated to India in two separate batches, 8 did not survive.

Following these losses, 12 cheetahs from South Africa were brought to Kuno and released in February of the subsequent year.

Note:

Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952 and the animals were brought to the park again in 2022.

About Kuno National Park

Kuno National Park, located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, is a wildlife sanctuary that spans an area of approximately 750 square kilometers. The park is known for its efforts in wildlife conservation and habitat preservation.

• Location: Kuno National Park is situated in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh, India.
• Wildlife: The park is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. It was designated as a potential reintroduction site for the Asiatic lion, with the aim of creating a second home for the species in addition to the Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat.
• Cheetah Reintroduction Project: Kuno National Park has been involved in a cheetah reintroduction project. The first batch of cheetahs from Namibia was released in September 2022 as part of an initiative to reintroduce these big cats to India.

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