https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Has 3 Deaths Affected The Ambitious Cheetah Project?

Three cheetahs died in March, April and May at Kuno National Park Four cubs born to Siyaya on March 24 are doing well High-mast cameras, radio collars and satellites are monitoring the imported big cats
Indian Masterminds Stories

Even as four healthy cheetah cubs continue to thrive in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, the seat of Modi government’s ambitious project aimed at reviving the cheetah population in India that ended 70 years back, a third death from among the 20 big cats imported from Africa has raised alarm among wildlife enthusiasts.

Sasha died in March followed by Uday in April and Daksha in May. Indian Masterminds got in touch with Kuno National Park DFO Prakash Verma, an IFS, to get insights into these recent deaths and how the project was shaping.

Picture Credit: Kuno National Park

DECODING DEATHS

Five-year-old female Sasha, one of the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia in September last year died of kidney ailment on March 27, 2023. She was not keeping well since her arrival. “Experts already told us that it was impossible to save her. We even questioned the African authorities as to why she was sent if she was already sick,” Mr. Verma shared.

On the other hand, the preliminary report of six-year-old Uday’s autopsy showed it passed away due to the pulmonary cardiac arrest. Uday landed in India in February along with 11 more cheetahs from South Africa. The officer said the team of experienced Indian veterinarians shared the same reason of the demise. However, we haven’t received the toxicology report yet.

Picture Credit: Kuno National Park

Female Daksha, who came to India along with Uday, died on May 9 after a confrontation with two male cheetahs inside an enclosure. Female Cheetah Daksha’s death lead to three deaths within 43 days.

VERDICT NOT OUT

So do the deaths signal towards a failure?

Statistic shows that similar programs undertaken around the world have recorded over 50% mortality. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, South Africa stated that the deaths of two cheetahs in KNP are within expected mortality rates for a project of this nature.

Picture Credit: Kuno National Park

IFS Verma also pointed out that the South African and Namibian doctors confirmed that the deaths were normal phenomenon. They also said that it was surprising that no casualties took place during the translocation in the initial days.

Sharing about a similar project in Zambia, Mr. Verma informed that around 9 cheetahs out of 22 succumbed after that translocation.

Amid the gloom, on March 24, Siyaya gave birth to four healthy cubs. Their mortality rate is usually 95% in the first two months but the officer shared that the newborns were doing fine.

Video Credit: Kuno National Park

CLOSE MONITORING

KNP has a team who are using latest technologies for 24X7 monitoring of the cheetahs. From high-mast cameras to radio collars to satellites the reintroduced species are under constant surveillance.

No tourism activity has been started yet in the area where the cheetah enclosure is located as this can increase the animals’ stress level. “We are still undergoing the training phase and once the cheetah population is established, we will start the tourism,” the officer concluded.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
THDC
THDC Leads Innovation with Variable Speed Technology in India’s First 1000 MW Tehri Pumped Storage Project
Ministry of Coal (resized)
Ministry of Coal Unveils New Incentives to Supercharge Underground Mining in India
BPCL Pm Modi
PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone for ₹340 Cr BPCL LPG Bottling Plant in Bihar
Powergrid (resized)
Power Grid Corporation & Nepal Electricity Authority Join Forces to Boost Cross-Border Power Connectivity
Calcutta High Court
Justice Subhendu Samanta Appointed Permanent Judge of Calcutta High Court
Shipping-Corporation-of-India-SCI
Dr. K. Jayaprasad Appointed as Non-Official Director on SCI Land & Assets Limited - Know More About Him
indian-navy-1
Indian Navy Welcomes 10th Ammunition Barge, LSAM 24, Enhancing Operational Capabilities
Bihar Government-resized-IM
17 IPS Officers Transferred Bihar, Pankaj Darad Appointed ADG, ATS; Rakesh Rathi IG, Special Branch
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
“UPSC is not the only path. If you are in any field… UPSC is not the only way to serve the nation. Be...
Raj Krishna Jha UPSC
Managing Study with a Full-Time Job, 4 Failures, & a Dream: UPSC Topper Raj Krishna Jha's Journey | Exclusive
From repeated failures to AIR 8, Raj Krishna Jha’s UPSC success proves that perseverance and strategic...
Utkarsh Yadav UPSC Rajasthan
Brother of Dausa DM Cracks UPSC with AIR 32: Utkarsh Yadav’s Inspiring Journey from Hamindpur to IAS
Utkarsh Yadav, an IIT Roorkee graduate from rural Rajasthan, secured AIR 32 in UPSC 2024 after three...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
THDC
THDC Leads Innovation with Variable Speed Technology in India’s First 1000 MW Tehri Pumped Storage Project
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT