Another cheetah ’Pawan’ dies due to ’drowning’ in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park

Yet another cheetah translocated to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh died on Tuesday — mere weeks after the demise of a five-month-old cub. The development came even as India considers sourcing cheetahs from Somalia, Tanzania, Sudan due to ongoing biorhythm challenges. 

According to an statement, the Namibian male cheetah (Pawan) was found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amidst bushes without any movement at around 10.30 am on Tuesday. Veterinarians were subsequently informed and a closer inspection disclosed that the front half of the cheetah's carcass, including the head, was inside the water. No external injuries were seen anywhere on the body.

Officials said that the preliminary cause of death appeared to be drowning. Further details will be shared after the postmortem report is received.

At least eight adult cheetahs and several cubs have lost their lives since the project was first introduced. There are now 24 cheetahs (including 12 adults and as many cubs) left in the Kuno National Park.

Summary records from meetings of the Centre's Cheetah Project Steering Committee reveal that prey augmentation and leopard management are among the major challenges facing the grand initiative since the reintroduction of cheetahs in India in September 2022.

The low prey density is also one of the reasons why cheetahs spent an extended period in enclosures in Kuno after being brought back from the wild in August last year, following the death of three cheetahs due to septicemia.

Officials however indicate that the animals will soon roam free again — nearly a year after they were returned to enclosures for health check-ups and monitoring.

"Members of the committee and NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) officials conducted field visits to Kuno and discussed the schedule for releasing the cheetahs. While adult cheetahs will be released into the wild in phases once the rains end, the cubs and their mothers will be released after December," an official said.

(With inputs from agencies)