MP: Another Cheetah dies at Kuno National Park, toll increases to 8

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India]: Another Cheetah named Suraj died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, an official statement said on Friday.

With this, the total number of deaths of Cheetahs in the state has risen to 8. Confirming the death of Cheetah, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest JS Chouhan said that the cause of death will be known after the postmortem.

While speaking to media, “One more male Cheetah named Suraj has died in Kuno, taking the total number to 8. The cause of death will be known after the postmortem. There are frequent deaths in such projects. If these deaths are taking place naturally then we shouldn’t panic.”

“We are trying to ensure that no further deaths take place. All necessary actions are being taken,” he added.

MP Forest Minister Vijay Shah said that the reason for the death will be only apparent after the postmortem is done.

“I have received the information but a postmortem is being done. I will be able to say anything only after that,” he told media.

Earlier Madhya Pradesh former Chief Minister and State Congress chief Kamal Nath on Wednesday slammed the BJP-led government and alleged that all cheetahs will die due to mismanagement of the state government.

“All cheetahs will die due to mismanagement of the BJP government. Be it women, be it cheetahs or be it adivasis, no one is safe in Madhya Pradesh,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the eight cheetahs (5 females and 3 males) brought from Namibia at Kuno National Park on the occasion of his birthday on September 17, last year, as part of an effort to revive the extinct cheetahs in India.

Another 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February this year.

The cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952.

Under the ambitious Project Cheetah of the Indian government, the reintroduction of wild species particularly cheetahs was undertaken according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines.

India has a long history of wildlife conservation. One of the most successful wildlife conservation ventures ‘Project Tiger’, which was initiated way back in 1972, has not only contributed to the conservation of tigers but also to the entire ecosystem.