This is the ninth cheetah to die since Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the project on September 17, 2022.
On Friday, another cheetah was discovered dead within the boundaries of Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, causing a severe blow to India’s ambitious Project Cheetah.
The body of a sub-adult male South African cheetah named ‘Suraj,’ discovered by a patrolling crew in the early morning hours, stunned project officials. This tragedy comes on the heels of the inexplicable death of a cheetah named Tejas.
Officials are still waiting for the postmortem report to determine the exact reason for Suraj’s death. Tejas, a male South African cheetah, died from ‘traumatic shock’ at the age of five and a half years, weighing only 43 kg, significantly below the usual weight range of 55-60 kg for cheetahs of similar age. Tejas’ internal organs were also shown to be badly weakened.
Tejas’ weight was significantly lower than that of an ordinary male cheetah, according to authorities. External wounds on the back of its neck were found to be superficial, restricted to the skin, and lacking in depth. During the examination, no puncture wounds were identified.
Concerns are raised concerning the well-being and conservation efforts of these magnificent animals due to the frequent cheetah deaths in Kuno National Park. The goal of Project Tiger to restore cheetahs into the Indian wilderness is now under increased scrutiny and must be reassessed urgently to protect the safety and survival of these endangered species.
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