Pawan, a male cheetah from Namibia, was found dead at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. The incident comes just weeks after the death of Gamini, a five-month-old African cheetah cub, on August 5.
Pawan was discovered lying motionless near the edge of a swollen nullah, concealed amidst dense bushes, around 10:30 AM. Upon examination by park veterinarians, it was observed that the front half of Pawan’s body, including his head, was submerged in water. No visible external injuries were found on the carcass.
Initial investigations suggest that drowning could be the likely cause of death. However, further details are awaited.
Before being released into the wild, Pawan, originally named Oban, was kept in an acclimatisation enclosure. The cheetah had strayed out of the park twice, prompting the authorities to keep him in the enclosure before finally allowing him to roam freely in the park’s free-ranging area, located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
Following Pawan’s demise, Kuno National Park now has 24 cheetahs, comprising 12 adults and 12 cubs.
