By Express News Service
BHOPAL: The presence of deep wounds on the necks of two male cheetahs, which died recently at the Kuno National Park (KNP), and similar injuries to at least three other cheetahs, possibly caused by abrasion due to sustained exposure of radio collars during the ongoing rainy season, has triggered the possibility of the radio collars being removed till the monsoon is over.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had clearly stated that as per preliminary analysis of the five adult cheetah deaths, all mortalities happened due to natural causes and not due to radio collars. However, staff on duty at KNP spotted maggot-infested wounds on the neck and back of two South African males (Tejas died in an enclosure on July 11 and Suraj died in the open jungles on July 14), possibly caused due to continued wearing of the radio collars during the rainy season.
is in possession of video footage, which shows staff examining the collar of the dead cheetah Suraj (it died on July 14) and the maggot-infested wounds on its neck and back.
Somewhat similar wounds have reportedly been spotted on the necks of three other males. One of the males was reportedly tranquilized and its radio collar removed on Monday.
The presence of the deep wounds on the neck and back of the recently dead cheetahs and similar injuries on the necks of three other males (surprisingly the females don’t have such injuries) have led to the possibility of 10 free ranging cheetahs presently in the open jungles of KNP, being brought back to the enclosures and their radio collars removed till the monsoon is over. If this happens, then the cheetahs will be released back in the jungles after the rains are over.
ALSO READ | Three days after death of eighth cheetah at Kuno National Park, MP govt shunts out top forest official
As per informed sources related to the ambitious project, the deep neck wound (which might lead to infestation by flies and maggots, adversely affecting the health of cheetahs) has been conveyed to the Centre and the Cheetah Project Steering Committee. Keeping in mind the humid and rainy climate contributing to worsening of such abrasive injuries in the neck (that even spread to the back) and maggot infestation, which never happened during the winter and summers with any of these radio collared cheetahs at KNP, it has been suggested by staff on duty that the ten free ranging cheetahs be brought back from the open jungles, their collars removed and they be housed in the enclosures till the monsoon is over.
Meanwhile, Sitaram Adivasi, the first-time BJP MLA from Vijaypur seat in Sheopur district, where the KNP is located, has alleged that corruption at the national park is behind the deaths of the cheetahs.
“There is rampant corruption at KNP. If those officials who are indulgent in corruption aren’t removed, the cheetahs will continue to die, which will end our hopes of cheetahs ushering development and prosperity in the region. I’ll raise the matter with the CM, our local MP and union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and if necessary will write to PM Modi also about it,” the BJP MLA told on Tuesday.
Eight cheetahs from Namibia were flown to KNP and released on September 17, 2022 by PM Modi on his 72nd birthday, as part of the ambitious project to reintroduce cheetahs into the Indian wild, seven decades after they went extinct in India.
Five months later, 12 cheetahs from South Africa were translocated to KNP in February 2023. But since March 2023, five adult cheetahs and three cubs have died at KNP, with the last two deaths of males being reported on July 11 and July 14. Now, 15 adults and one cub are left at the KNP.
BHOPAL: The presence of deep wounds on the necks of two male cheetahs, which died recently at the Kuno National Park (KNP), and similar injuries to at least three other cheetahs, possibly caused by abrasion due to sustained exposure of radio collars during the ongoing rainy season, has triggered the possibility of the radio collars being removed till the monsoon is over.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had clearly stated that as per preliminary analysis of the five adult cheetah deaths, all mortalities happened due to natural causes and not due to radio collars. However, staff on duty at KNP spotted maggot-infested wounds on the neck and back of two South African males (Tejas died in an enclosure on July 11 and Suraj died in the open jungles on July 14), possibly caused due to continued wearing of the radio collars during the rainy season.
is in possession of video footage, which shows staff examining the collar of the dead cheetah Suraj (it died on July 14) and the maggot-infested wounds on its neck and back.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Somewhat similar wounds have reportedly been spotted on the necks of three other males. One of the males was reportedly tranquilized and its radio collar removed on Monday.
The presence of the deep wounds on the neck and back of the recently dead cheetahs and similar injuries on the necks of three other males (surprisingly the females don’t have such injuries) have led to the possibility of 10 free ranging cheetahs presently in the open jungles of KNP, being brought back to the enclosures and their radio collars removed till the monsoon is over. If this happens, then the cheetahs will be released back in the jungles after the rains are over.
ALSO READ | Three days after death of eighth cheetah at Kuno National Park, MP govt shunts out top forest official
As per informed sources related to the ambitious project, the deep neck wound (which might lead to infestation by flies and maggots, adversely affecting the health of cheetahs) has been conveyed to the Centre and the Cheetah Project Steering Committee. Keeping in mind the humid and rainy climate contributing to worsening of such abrasive injuries in the neck (that even spread to the back) and maggot infestation, which never happened during the winter and summers with any of these radio collared cheetahs at KNP, it has been suggested by staff on duty that the ten free ranging cheetahs be brought back from the open jungles, their collars removed and they be housed in the enclosures till the monsoon is over.
Meanwhile, Sitaram Adivasi, the first-time BJP MLA from Vijaypur seat in Sheopur district, where the KNP is located, has alleged that corruption at the national park is behind the deaths of the cheetahs.
“There is rampant corruption at KNP. If those officials who are indulgent in corruption aren’t removed, the cheetahs will continue to die, which will end our hopes of cheetahs ushering development and prosperity in the region. I’ll raise the matter with the CM, our local MP and union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and if necessary will write to PM Modi also about it,” the BJP MLA told on Tuesday.
Eight cheetahs from Namibia were flown to KNP and released on September 17, 2022 by PM Modi on his 72nd birthday, as part of the ambitious project to reintroduce cheetahs into the Indian wild, seven decades after they went extinct in India.
Five months later, 12 cheetahs from South Africa were translocated to KNP in February 2023. But since March 2023, five adult cheetahs and three cubs have died at KNP, with the last two deaths of males being reported on July 11 and July 14. Now, 15 adults and one cub are left at the KNP.
