One more cheetah dies at Kuno National Park

Cheetah death confirmed in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh: fifth adult cheetah death since translocation from South Africa and Namibia. On July 14, a monitoring team found Suraj lying still in Masavani beat; injury marks on back and neck, detailed report awaited.

One more cheetah, Suraj, has been confirmed dead at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on July 14, sources confirmed to The Hindu. The cause of death is still being determined. This is the fifth death of an adult cheetah in Kuno, since 20 were translocated from South Africa and Namibia since September 22.

Only three days ago, another translocated male cheetah, Tejas, died at the park.

Suraj was found lying still in Palpur East Forest Range’s Masavani beat by a monitoring team on July 14 morning. When they went closer, they found insects hovering over its neck but it then rose and ran away, news agency PTI quoted an official as saying.

A team of veterinarians and forest officials rushed to the spot and the cheetah was found dead around 9 a.m., the official said.

“This is for the first time that a cheetah died in the free range,” he added.

There were injury marks on his back and neck, and a detailed report was awaited, the official said.

(With inputs from PTI)