Why Imported Cheetahs Are Dying?

By Nazeer Waris

September 17 happens to be the bir thday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr. Modi celebrated his birthday last year in a unique way: by releasing eight cheetahs brought from Namibia in the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

These included five females and three males. This was aimed at reintroducing the cheetahs in India which had become extinct by 1950 in India's forests due to excessive hunting during the British rule.

It was called 'Project Cheetah' and was aimed at revival of cheetah population in India. Another 12 cheetahs were brought from South Africa in February 2023 and housed in a quarantine enclosure called 'bomas'.

But the Project Cheetah received a setback as five adult cheetahs and three of the four cubs born in India died during the last few months due to various reasons.

Forest Department officials blamed the extremely high temperatures for the death of the cubs as the mercury was soaring above 45 degree Celsius. Of the adults, Sasha died due to a kidney-related ailment on March 27. Another cheetah, Uday from South Africa, died on April 13.

Daksha, a cheetah brought from South Africa, succumbed to the injuries following a violent fight with a male during mating attempt on May 9 this year. Two other cheetahs died due to infection caused by radio-collar put around their neck.

Radio-collars help the wildlife authorities and the veterinarians to keep track of the health of the cheetahs as well as their location. Now it is reported seven male cheetahs, six female cheetahs and a female cub are now left in the bomas.

They are reported to be healthy and doing well. But their health and movement is being strictly monitored. Following these deaths, the authorities appointed a steering committee to probe deaths and suggest ways to preserve the animals in order that a sustainable population could be grown in India.

It included Namibian experts Adrian Tordiffe and Laurie Marker. The experts say the mortality rate is high among the cheetahs and change of climate due to translocation might have aggravated their situation.

It is also opined that the cheetahs are dying because of insufficient prey. They mostly hunt upon deers, cheetals, gazelles and rabbits. A majority of the world’s 7,000 cheetahs live in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Namibia has the world’s largest population of cheetahs.

The cheetah is the only large carnivore that got completely wiped out from India, mainly due to overhunting and habitat loss. Official records show that the last spotted feline died in 1948 in the Sal forests of Chhattisgarh’s Koriya district.

One hopes the committee comes up with suggestions that help conserve cheetahs by eliminating the threat posed to their survival, conservation and revival of their population.