**Namibian Cheetah Shaurya Dies at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh**
Bhopal, Jan 16 – In a tragic incident, Namibian cheetah Shaurya passed away at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, according to state Forest Minister Nagar Singh Chouhan. This marks the 10th fatality since the reintroduction of African big cats in India in 2022.
You may also like to watch : Who Is Kamala Harris? Biography - Parents - Husband - Sister - Career - Indian - Jamaican Heritage
The exact cause of Shaurya’s death remains unknown and will only be determined after a post-mortem examination, as stated by the forest department.
Upon receiving the report of Shaurya’s demise at KNP in Sheopur district, Forest Minister Chouhan confirmed the unfortunate news.
The male cheetah was observed by the tracking team to be walking abnormally around 11 am. Subsequently, it was tranquilized and efforts were made to revive the feline. However, these attempts proved unsuccessful, leading to complications post-revival. Despite CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) efforts, Shaurya sadly passed away at 3.17 pm.
Since March 2023, a total of ten cheetahs, including Shaurya, have succumbed to various reasons at KNP. This includes seven adult cheetahs and three cubs. The adult cheetahs that have passed away so far are Sasha (March 27, 2023), Uday (April 23, 2023), Daksha (May 9, 2023), Tejas (July 11, 2023), Suraj (July 14, 2023), Dhatri (August 2, 2023), and Shaurya (January 16, 2023).
You may also like to watch: Is US-NATO Prepared For A Potential Nuclear War With Russia - China And North Korea?
Among the four cubs born to translocated Namibian cheetah ‘Jwala’, one passed away on May 23, 2023, while the remaining two cubs passed away on May 25, 2023.
Currently, the KNP is home to a total of 17 surviving cheetahs, including six males, seven females, and four cubs.
Earlier this year, on January 3, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav shared the news of three cubs being born to Namibian cheetah Aasha on the social media platform X.
In March 2023, Siyaya, later renamed Jwala, gave birth to four cubs, with only one female cub surviving.
Cheetahs, known as the fastest land animals, were declared extinct in India in 1952. However, as part of the central government’s ambitious plan to revive their population in the country, cheetahs were translocated to the KNP from South Africa and Namibia.
Under the Cheetah Reintroduction Project, a total of eight big cats from Namibia, including five females and three males, were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17, 2022. Additionally, in February 2023, another 12 cheetahs were brought to the park from South Africa.
In December of the previous year, four cheetahs were released into the wild, but two were later captured and relocated to enclosures. One of these cheetahs, Agni, was tranquilized in Baran district of Rajasthan and brought back to KNP in December.
Last year in May, the Supreme Court expressed concern over the deaths of cheetahs and requested the central government to provide a detailed affidavit explaining the causes and remedial measures taken.
In response, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) reassured the Supreme Court that while the deaths of adult cheetahs and cubs at KNP are troubling, they are not “unduly alarming”. Precautionary measures, such as capturing and medical examinations of surviving cheetahs, are being conducted.
In conclusion, the passing of Namibian cheetah Shaurya at Kuno National Park is a saddening development. The exact cause of death is yet to be determined. The deaths of these magnificent creatures highlight the challenges faced in reintroducing cheetahs to India. Efforts will continue to revive and protect the cheetah population in the country.
Disclaimer: This report has been auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content..
