Eight cheetahs died in last four months, check reason of these deaths

Suraj, a male cheetah, tragically passed away in Kuno National Park on Friday morning. Shockingly, a total of eight cheetahs have lost their lives in just four months, prompting significant concerns about the viability of India's Project Cheetah, launched in September last year.

"According to officials, the monitoring team discovered Suraj in a lethargic state near Palpur Maswani Beat at around 6.30 am. The team promptly wirelessly alerted the control room about the cheetah's condition. Upon receiving the information, the Wildlife Medical Team and Divisional Officer swiftly reached the location at 9 am. Unfortunately, Suraj Cheetah was found dead when the cheetah's whereabouts were identified. The cheetah's back and neck displayed wounds, which appear to be the potential cause of its demise. Currently, the autopsy report is awaited to determine the exact cause of death."

List of Cheetahs's died so far

5 Adults and 3 cubs died so far

• On Tuesday, July 11, Tejas, a male cheetah, was discovered deceased. It was determined that the cause of death was traumatic shock resulting from a confrontation with a female cheetah.
• Tragically, on May 25th, two cheetah cubs succumbed to severe weather and dehydration.
• On May 23, a cub of Jwala Cheetah died due to weekness.
• Daksha, the female cheetah, tragically passed away on May 9 following a violent confrontation with the male cheetah during their mating encounter.
• Uday, a cheetah, sadly passed away on April 23rd, due to cardiopulmonary failure.
• Sasha, the female cheetah, passed away on March 27th as a result of kidney failure.

The increasing demise of cheetahs is prompting concerns about India's Project Cheetah, which marks the first-ever translocation of an animal from one continent to another.

However, the central government is turning a blind eye to India's inefficiency and lapses, refusing to accept responsibility for these deaths.

The death of cheetah cubs in this manner may be a tragic occurrence for Indians, however, experts indicate their chances of survival are very slim. M. Karen Lawrenson reveals that only 4.8 percent of cheetah cubs successfully reach adulthood. Therefore, even from a scientific standpoint, the demise of these cubs could have been foreseen. Besides Tejas, two cheetahs perished due to illness, and an additional female cheetah died as a result of territorial disputes. Statistics indicate that even in South Africa, 8 percent of cheetahs lose their lives in conflicts with others.

The environment provided for cheetahs in India differs significantly from that of South Africa. While cheetahs in South Africa and Namibia are confined to fenced reserves, in India they are gradually released into the open. As a result, their struggle for survival becomes even more challenging. Experts suggest that the project should be considered successful if at least 50 percent of the cheetahs brought to India survive. Unfortunately, only 17 out of the initial 24 cheetahs are currently alive. In light of these circumstances, it remains to be seen whether the government will wait for the cheetah population to shrink further to 12 individuals or take necessary action sooner.

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