The radio collars of six cheetahs at the Kuno national park in Madhya Pradesh have been removed.
Out of the six cheetahs, the two were detected with a ‘severe infection’ after their radio collars were removed.
The two cheetahs are among six free-ranging cheetahs that have been brought back to their enclosures as part of a prevention plan following the death of two cheetahs on July 11 and 14, The Indian Express reported.
Earlier, the wildlife experts had suggested that the devices be removed, saying they suspect these were causing infection among the cheetahs.
The report said the radio collars of six cheetahs — Pavak, Aasha, Dheera, Pavan, Gaurav and Shaurya were removed.
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The cheetahs were also examined for medical conditions, it added.
“Some cheetahs had small lesions, but the male coalition of Namibian brothers Gaurav and Shaurya had severe infection. We have stocked up the medicines for them and are discussing ways to ensure that the problem of radio collars doesn’t resurface. There may be an issue with the design which will be discussed,” the report quoted a wildlife official as having said.
The report quoting wildlife officials said the cheetahs were in different stages of infection but, in general terms, healthy.
At least eight of the 20 cheetahs translocated from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno since September last have died so far due to various reasons.
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The first, on March 27, was of a Namibian cheetah named Sasha, who died of a kidney ailment. Officials believe Sasha had had the problem before her arrival at Kuno.
On May 9, a female cheetah Daksha, brought from South Africa, died following a “violent interaction” with two male cheetahs during mating.
The two male cheetahs who died on July 11 and 14 were named Tajas and Suraj.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has refuted reports suggesting Tajas and Suraj died due to infections caused by radio collars as “unscientific”.
