'Due to natural causes': Centre on deaths of cheetahs at MP's Kuno National Park
Under 'Project Cheetah', a total of 20 radio-collared cheetahs were imported from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park
- Jul 16, 2023,
- Updated Jul 16, 2023 4:57 PM IST
Days after the eighth cheetah died at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP), the Centre on Sunday defended "Project Cheetah" saying it is yet to complete a year and it will be premature to conclude the outcome in terms of success and failure since cheetah introduction is a long-term project. In September last year, eight cheetahs were brought to India from Namibia. And months later in February this year, another 12 were brought from South Africa. However, so far, eight of these have died.
Under 'Project Cheetah', a total of 20 radio-collared cheetahs were imported from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park, in a first-ever transcontinental wild-to-wild translocation, said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in a statement on Sunday.
Out of 20 translocated adult cheetahs, five mortalities have been reported from the KNP, the ministry said. "...and as per the preliminary analysis all mortalities are due to natural causes," the ministry said, rejecting the reports that cheetah died due to radio collar etc. "Such reports are not based on any scientific evidence but on speculation and hearsay."
For investigating the cause of cheetah deaths, consultation with international cheetah experts, and veterinary doctors from South Africa and Namibia is being done on a regular basis, the statement said. "Further, the existing monitoring protocols, protection status, managerial inputs, veterinary facilities, training, and capacity-building aspects are being reviewed by independent national experts. The Cheetah Project Steering Committee is closely monitoring the project and has expressed satisfaction over its implementation so far."
Further, steps like the establishment of a Cheetah Research Center with facilities for rescue, rehabilitation, capacity building, and interpretation; bringing additional forest area under the administrative control of the Kuno National Park for landscape level management, providing additional frontline staff, establishing Cheetah Protection Force, and creation of second home for cheetahs in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh have been envisaged, the ministry said.
The ministry said that the central government has deployed a dedicated NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) team of officials to work in close coordination with the field officials. "This team is engaged for analyzing real-time field data collated by the field monitoring teams for deciding upon various management aspects including health and related interventions required to be in place for better management."
"'Project Cheetah is yet to complete a year and it will be premature to conclude the outcome in terms of success and failure since cheetah introduction is a long-term project," the ministry said, adding that in the last 10 months, all stakeholders involved in this cheetah reintroduction project have gained valuable insights in cheetah management, monitoring, and protection and we are optimistic that the project will succeed in the long run and there is no reason to speculate at this juncture.
Earlier on Friday, male cheetah Suraj, translocated from Africa, died at the Kuno National Park. This took the number of cheetahs that have died at the park since March this year to eight. Just days before this, another translocated male cheetah, Tejas, had died at the park. Suraj was found lying still in Palpur East Forest Range’s Masavani beat by a monitoring team on Friday morning. When they went closer, they found insects hovering over its neck but it then rose and ran away, an official said while speaking to the news agency PTI.
Days after the eighth cheetah died at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP), the Centre on Sunday defended "Project Cheetah" saying it is yet to complete a year and it will be premature to conclude the outcome in terms of success and failure since cheetah introduction is a long-term project. In September last year, eight cheetahs were brought to India from Namibia. And months later in February this year, another 12 were brought from South Africa. However, so far, eight of these have died.
Under 'Project Cheetah', a total of 20 radio-collared cheetahs were imported from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park, in a first-ever transcontinental wild-to-wild translocation, said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in a statement on Sunday.
Out of 20 translocated adult cheetahs, five mortalities have been reported from the KNP, the ministry said. "...and as per the preliminary analysis all mortalities are due to natural causes," the ministry said, rejecting the reports that cheetah died due to radio collar etc. "Such reports are not based on any scientific evidence but on speculation and hearsay."
For investigating the cause of cheetah deaths, consultation with international cheetah experts, and veterinary doctors from South Africa and Namibia is being done on a regular basis, the statement said. "Further, the existing monitoring protocols, protection status, managerial inputs, veterinary facilities, training, and capacity-building aspects are being reviewed by independent national experts. The Cheetah Project Steering Committee is closely monitoring the project and has expressed satisfaction over its implementation so far."
Further, steps like the establishment of a Cheetah Research Center with facilities for rescue, rehabilitation, capacity building, and interpretation; bringing additional forest area under the administrative control of the Kuno National Park for landscape level management, providing additional frontline staff, establishing Cheetah Protection Force, and creation of second home for cheetahs in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh have been envisaged, the ministry said.
The ministry said that the central government has deployed a dedicated NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) team of officials to work in close coordination with the field officials. "This team is engaged for analyzing real-time field data collated by the field monitoring teams for deciding upon various management aspects including health and related interventions required to be in place for better management."
"'Project Cheetah is yet to complete a year and it will be premature to conclude the outcome in terms of success and failure since cheetah introduction is a long-term project," the ministry said, adding that in the last 10 months, all stakeholders involved in this cheetah reintroduction project have gained valuable insights in cheetah management, monitoring, and protection and we are optimistic that the project will succeed in the long run and there is no reason to speculate at this juncture.
Earlier on Friday, male cheetah Suraj, translocated from Africa, died at the Kuno National Park. This took the number of cheetahs that have died at the park since March this year to eight. Just days before this, another translocated male cheetah, Tejas, had died at the park. Suraj was found lying still in Palpur East Forest Range’s Masavani beat by a monitoring team on Friday morning. When they went closer, they found insects hovering over its neck but it then rose and ran away, an official said while speaking to the news agency PTI.