Bhopal: Tragedy struck Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur as a cheetah from Namibia succumbed on Tuesday, marking the 10th cheetah fatality at the park. Presently, KNP is home to 13 adult cheetahs along with four cubs.
In September 2022, eight cheetahs were introduced from Namibia, followed by the arrival of 12 more cheetahs from South Africa in February 2023.
The unfortunate incident involved a seven-year-old cheetah named ‘Shaurya,’ discovered unconscious in a predator-free enclosure on Tuesday. Despite efforts from the monitoring team to resuscitate the cheetah, he succumbed at approximately 3 PM, as confirmed by Aseem Shrivastava, the principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) for wildlife.
Shrivastava explained, “The monitoring team observed the cheetah remaining stationary. Upon closer inspection, they found him unconscious. The team promptly tranquilized him and administered CPR. Though he briefly regained consciousness, his condition remained fragile, and he eventually passed away at around 3 PM.”
The exact cause of Shaurya’s demise will be determined following the post-mortem report.
It is noteworthy that the introduction of cheetahs to KNP has been a part of conservation efforts, with eight individuals from Namibia in September 2022 and an additional 12 from South Africa in February 2023. The recent incident underscores the challenges and complexities associated with wildlife conservation and management in protected areas.
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