Another Cheetah Dies At Kuno National Park, Toll Rises To 8; Second Death In A Week

JE News Desk: Another male Cheetah died at Sheopur-based Kuno National Park on Friday, taking the total toll to eight so far. The African Cheetah, Suraj was found dead early in the morning, weeks after he was released from the enclosure.

This is the second death of Cheetah which took place in a week at Kuno National Park in Sheopur. The exact cause of Suraj’s death is yet unknown, however, officials are trying to ascertain the exact reason behind his death.

Earlier on Tuesday, another male Cheetah, Tejas, was found dead at the national park. Injury marks were found on the neck of Tejas who was alone in the park enclosure. However, the reason behind the injury, due to which he lost his life is still unknown.

The autopsy report of the animal revealed that the cheetah was unable to recover from ‘traumatic shock’ following a violent fight with a female cheetah. Reportedly, five adult Cheetahs and three Cheetah cubs have died so far at the Kuno National Park.

Earlier on March 27, a female Cheetah named Sasha died due to a kidney ailment. On April 23, a Cheetah named Uday died from cardio-pulmonary failure, and Daksha, a female cheetah, died on May 9 following violent contact with a male during a mating attempt. Apart from these, two Cheetahs died due to ‘extreme weather conditions and dehydration’ on May 25.

The recent death of Suraj is yet another blow to the Madhya Pradesh government's ambitious Cheetah Conservation Project. The programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.