Another female cheetah 'Dhatri' brought from Namibia dies in Madhya Pradesh Kuno National Park. Post-mortem is being conducted to ascertain case of death. This is the sixth adult feline to have died since March, according to a statement from the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department on Wednesday.
Under the project cheetah, a total of 20 radio-collared animals were imported from Namibia and South Africa to the Kuno National Park. To add to the number, four cubs were born from Namibian cheetah 'Jwala'. Out of these 24 feline, eight including three cubs have died. Some cheetahs were reported to have developed infections due to radio collars.
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While 14 cheetahs -- seven males, six females and one female cub -- are kept in the bomas in Kuno, a female cheetah is out in the open and is being intensively monitored by a team. Efforts are on to bring her back to the boma for a health examination, the statement said.
The Supreme Court had on May 18 expressed serious concern over the cheetah deaths and asked the Centre to rise above politics and consider shifting the animals, which became extinct in the country in 1947-48, to Rajasthan.
Citing reports of experts and articles, the court had told the government that it appeared that KNP is not sufficient to accommodate such a large number of cheetahs and the Union Government may consider shifting the animals to other sanctuaries.
