Another Cheetah Dies At Kuno National Park; 8th Death In Last 4 Months

In a devastating turn of events, another male cheetah has met an untimely demise at the national park in Madhya Pradesh, marking the eighth casualty in a mere four-month period. Suraj, an African cheetah, was discovered lifeless at Kuno National Park during the early hours of this morning. Authorities are currently working diligently to determine the exact cause of Suraj's unfortunate passing.

This tragic incident follows closely on the heels of the recent loss of another male cheetah, Tejas, whose postmortem examination revealed that the death happened due to a violent altercation with a female cheetah.

The series of cheetah fatalities began on March 27 when Sasha, a female cheetah, succumbed to a kidney ailment. On April 23, Uday fell victim to cardio-pulmonary failure, and on May 9, Daksha, another female cheetah, lost her life after a violent encounter with a male during a mating attempt. Tragically, two cheetah cubs also perished on May 25 due to extreme weather conditions and dehydration, as per a report in NDTV.

Cheetah Reintroduction Programme

Suraj's passing delivers yet another blow to the cheetah reintroduction program launched at Kuno National Park in September of the previous year, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The relentless string of cheetah deaths has raised concerns about the effectiveness and success of the program.

Previously, government officials had vehemently denied any lapses in the handling of the cheetahs, asserting that high infant mortality rates among cheetahs are a well-known fact in global wildlife literature. However, in May, South African wildlife expert Vincent van der Merwe expressed concern and predicted further cheetah fatalities, particularly as the cheetahs attempt to establish territories and inevitably encounter leopards and tigers in the park

The Supreme Court has expressed deep concern over the deaths of three cheetahs that were translocated from South Africa and Namibia to the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, India, within a span of less than two months. The Court has urged the central government to prioritize conservation over politics and consider relocating the cheetahs to sanctuaries in Rajasthan. Justices BR Gavai and Sanjay Karol conveyed to the government that expert reports and articles indicate that Kuno may not be suitable for hosting such a large number of cheetahs and emphasized the need to explore alternative habitats.

The Court highlighted that the deaths of three cheetahs in less than two months is a grave matter of concern. They emphasized that the concentration of cheetahs in one place at Kuno raises doubts about its sufficiency. The Court further remarked that the government should not disregard Rajasthan as a potential habitat simply because it is governed by an opposition party.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the central government, informed the Court that a task force is currently investigating the cheetah deaths and considering the possibility of relocating them to other sanctuaries.

SC Expresses Concerns

The deceased cheetahs include Sasha, a female cheetah from Namibia who died on March 27 due to a kidney ailment; Uday, a cheetah from South Africa who died on April 23 from cardio-pulmonary failure; and Daksha, another female cheetah from South Africa, who died on May 9 following a violent interaction with a male during a mating attempt.

The Court raised concerns regarding the clearance process for bringing the cheetahs to India, particularly in the case of the female cheetah suffering from a pre-existing kidney ailment. Bhati assured the Court that autopsies have been conducted and the task force is thoroughly investigating the matter. She also highlighted the successful birth of four cheetah cubs, indicating that some cheetahs have adapted well to Kuno, reported Economic Times.

Justice Gavai, who leads the apex court's green bench, expressed his deep concern for environmental issues and stressed the importance of protecting and providing suitable habitats for cheetahs. Bhati informed the Court that Mukundara National Park is prepared to accommodate cheetahs and that the task force is considering transferring some of them to other national parks in Madhya Pradesh.

The Court acknowledged the absence of cheetah experts in India since the species went extinct in the country in 1947-48. They emphasized the importance of considering the opinions of various cheetah experts, not just a select few, and requested the apex court-constituted expert committee to provide its recommendations to the national task force within 15 days.

This direction from the Supreme Court comes in response to the Centre's application seeking clarification on the necessity of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to continue seeking guidance from the expert committee appointed by the Court in 2020 for the introduction of African cheetahs in India.

The central government stated that, as per the action plan for cheetah introduction in India, 8-14 cheetahs per year will be required for the next five years, and agreements have been signed with Namibia and South Africa for cooperation in cheetah conservation. Eight cheetahs were transported from Namibia to India on September 17, 2022, and released into quarantine enclosures in Kuno National Park.

Additionally, 12 cheetahs, comprising seven males and five females, were translocated from South Africa to KNP on February 18, 2023, under the memorandum of understanding with South Africa.

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