A five-month-old cheetah cub, part of the ambitious Cheetah Reintroduction Project, died at Kuno National Park on Monday. The cub, named Gamini, was one of the six-cub litter born in March this year. This marks the second cheetah cub fatality in the last two months, following another death on June 4.
According to a release by CCF Uttam Kumar Sharma and the Director of the Lion Project, the cub’s health deteriorated suddenly on Monday morning. Despite emergency treatment efforts, the cub succumbed to its condition.
This recent death raises the total number of cheetah fatalities under the Cheetah Reintroduction project to twelve since its launch in September 2022. Among these fatalities are seven adult cheetahs—three females and four males—and five cubs.
The remaining 25 cheetahs are reported to be healthy and normal. Monitoring on the evening of July 29 revealed one of Gamini’s cubs struggling to lift the hind portion of its body. Further examination showed the cub dragging its hind portion, leading to its immediate rescue and transport to the hospital. A fractured vertebral column was identified, and the cub was placed under intensive supervision.
The cause of death will be determined after an autopsy.
Currently, the park is home to 13 adult cheetahs and 12 cubs, all reported to be in good health. Preventive treatment for tick and other parasitic infections has been administered to the adult cheetahs, and regular monitoring is ongoing.
The Cheetah Reintroduction project, launched in September 2022, initially released eight Namibian cheetahs—five females and three males—into enclosures at Kuno National Park. This was followed by the translocation of an additional 12 cheetahs from South Africa in February 2023. Despite these setbacks, the project continues to monitor and ensure the well-being of the remaining cheetah population at Kuno National Park.
