On Cheetahs deaths in Kuno National Park, union minister's 'monsoon' explanation

Union minister for environment, forest, and climate change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday claimed that the death of the last two Cheetahs - on July 14 and August 2 - at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district was due to “monsoon infection”.

Also read: Cheetah deaths at Kuno: 2 of 4 experts never consented on letter to SC

Addressing the media in MP's Gwalior, Yadav said, “An infection caused due to the monsoon has come to our notice and we have also lost two cheetahs due to that infection. We have also shared its information with South Asia, Namibia, and international experts. Now we are moving forward on its management issue,” as quoted by news agency ANI.

So far, six adult cheetahs have died since the translocation of the 20 big cats in two batches from Namibia and South Africa in September last year and February 2023, while three of the four cubs born in India have also died.

Will Cheetahs be relocated?

While several translocated Cheetahs have been dying in Madhya Pradesh, the union minister said that there is “no plan” to relocate them as of now.

“Regarding Kuno National Park, I want to say that all our Forest Officers, young veterinarians, are engaged with hard work for the management of the Cheetahs. It is the first year when the translocation of cheetahs has taken place and the work is going on continuously on the weather condition here and its other effects,” he said, as quoted by PTI.

Also read: Cheetahs died of natural causes, not due to Kuno’s unsuitability: Centre to SC

Yadav added, “Every cheetah is our responsibility, we share our opinion with the experts from Namibia and South Africa. And I am saying this with complete confidence that we are engaged in this project with full seriousness. We are very much concerned about each cheetah. We would like this project to be successful. We accept the sensitivity of the project and we will make this project successful.”

(With inputs from agencies)