Two more cheetah cubs die in MP, third this week; toll touches six in two months

Two more cheetah cubs died due to “extreme weather condition and dehydration” in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park on Thursday. In two days, three out of four cheetah cubs, who were born recently, have died, officials said.

The fourth cub of cheetah Jwala was shifted to a hospital in Palpur, and officials are in touch with experts from Nambia and South Africa for further treatment, officials added. Her first cub died on May 23, following which the remaining three along with the mother were under treatment. A monitoring team also kept a watch on them round the clock, said a statement released by Kuno National Park.

Also read: Female cheetah dies in MP’s Kuno National Park; third death in 42 days

Sweltering heat at Kuno taking toll

The statement revealed that the health condition of the cubs in the afternoon was not normal and therefore, keeping the sweltering heat in mind, they were immediately rescued and treated by the veterinary team in the Palpur veterinary hospital.

One of the cubs was under consistent monitoring and given all possible treatment. “We were in touch with our counterparts and cheetah experts in Namibia and South Africa. However, the cubs succumbed,” said a senior forest official.

It is pertinent to mention here that Kuno has been experiencing temperature around 46-47 degree Celsius since last few days. Extremely hot winds and heat waves continued throughout the day.

Incidentally, three cheetahs had died prior to these instances of cheetah cub deaths. On March 27, a female Cheetah named Sasha died due to kidney ailment. On April 23, cheetah Uday died due to cardio-pulmonary failure. On May 9, another female cheetah named Daksha, died following a violent interaction with a male during a mating attempt. The latest fatality took the death toll of cheetahs in Kuno National Park to six in the last two months, including three felines translocated from African countries.

Also read: MP: Another African cheetah dies at Kuno National Park; second death in less than a month

SC suggests moving cheetahs to Rajasthan

The Supreme Court had on May 18 expressed concern over the death of three cheetahs in less than two months. The apex court had suggested the Cheetahs, who were translocated from South Africa and Namibia to Madhya Pradesh, should be moved to neighbouring Rajasthan.

“Three deaths in less than two months is a matter of serious concern. There are opinions of experts and articles in the media. It appears that Kuno is not sufficient for so many cheetahs,” the Supreme Court said. “There is too much concentration of cheetahs in one place. Why don’t you look for a suitable place in Rajasthan? Merely because Rajasthan is ruled by an opposition party does not mean, you will not consider it,” the bench said.

Eight Namibian cheetahs were brought and released in Kuno in September last year. Another batch of 12 South African cheetahs were brought by the Indian government on February 18 this year.