Female Cheetah ‘Daksha’ dies in Kuno National Park

Another female cheetah "Daksha" brought to India from South Africa has died in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park. This is the third consecutive month of death in the Cheetah clan. Earlier in the month of March, the female cheetah Sasha and in the month of April the male cheetah Uday had died.

According to the official statement, Daksha's injuries suggest violent interactions, possibly during mating, which is typical behaviour among the male cheetahs in the coalition. Daksha was found injured by the monitoring team and was treated by doctors, but unfortunately, she passed away on May 9, 2023.

Daksha was released in enclosure number 1 and was meant to mate with the male South African cheetahs, Agni and Vayu, who were released from enclosure number 7. The decision to mate them was made at a meeting on 30 April. Daksha's autopsy report is yet to come, but the violent clash during mating is believed to be the main reason for her death.

The park now has 17 cheetahs, including four cubs born earlier this year after seven male and five female cheetahs were brought in from Hindenburg Park in South Africa by Air Force planes.

Uday died in April

In April, a cheetah named Uday died in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park after falling ill. They brought it from South Africa.

Cheetah Sasha died due to kidney ailment

Earlier, the Namibian cheetah Sasha died due to kidney ailment on March 27. 'Another cheetah, Uday, who was brought from South Africa, died during treatment after falling ill in Kuno National Park. The reason for death has not yet been determined, read a tweet from ANI.

India’s Project Cheetah

Let us tell you that in February, the Government of India brought 12 cheetahs from South Africa to India. Earlier 8 cheetahs were brought from Namibia.

After two deaths the total number of cheetahs left in Kuno National Park is 22. In March, a cheetah named Siya has also given birth to 4 cubs.

Siyaya came to India from Namibia on 17 September. Siyaya’s children are currently living in the pre-release enclosure. The gender of these cubs will be known as soon as Siyaya brings them in the open.

Cheetahs were extinct in India only in 1945. After this, the government has done the world’s first intercontinental translocation with the aim of resettling the cheetahs in India.

The whole world is eyeing this project, if this project is successful then it will be a big achievement for India and will prove to be a milestone in saving the species of animals that are going extinct around the world.

Many experts have also opposed the scheme of bringing cheetahs from other continents to settle in India because of the involved risks.

Keep Reading

• MP Govt concerned about space, asks for cheetah relocation
• Why India’s deal for Cheetahs with Pretoria dithered?
• What is the cost of India’s Cheetah Project?
• Why biologists Jhala excluded from Cheetah project task force?
• How cheetah named ‘Shasha’ brought from Namibia died in Kuno National Park?

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