2 Cubs Born to African Cheetah Neerva Found Dead at Kuno National Park

Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh: Tragedy struck Kuno National Park (KNP) on Wednesday as two cubs born to African cheetah Neerva were discovered dead inside their enclosure. Forest officials, alerted by signals from Neerva's radio telemetry indicating her absence from the den, found the cubs' mutilated carcasses during an inspection, according to KNP authorities.

After a thorough search of the enclosure, officials determined that no additional cubs were present. "The inspection of the boma revealed no evidence of more cubs, confirming that Neerva gave birth to only two," said Project Cheetah Director Uttam Kumar Sharma. The carcasses have been collected for cremation, adhering to official protocols, and samples have been sent for laboratory analysis to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Despite this unfortunate event, KNP officials reported that all adult cheetahs and the remaining 12 cubs at the park are in good health. As of the latest count, KNP is home to 24 cheetahs, including the surviving cubs.

Confusion initially surrounded the number of cubs Neerva had delivered. On Monday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared a post on social media announcing four cubs but later deleted it, stating the forest department would provide official confirmation. In a subsequent update, he described the birth as a significant milestone for the Cheetah Project, which aims to reintroduce the species to India after decades of extinction.

The Cheetah Reintroduction Project, launched in September 2022, brought eight cheetahs from Namibia to KNP, marking the world’s first intercontinental translocation of these big cats. An additional 12 cheetahs were introduced from South Africa in February 2023, part of a broader initiative to restore the species to its natural habitat after their extinction in India over 70 years ago due to hunting and habitat loss.

The recent deaths are a somber reminder of the challenges associated with wildlife conservation and the complexities of reintroducing a species to a foreign habitat. Further investigations into the cubs’ deaths will provide clarity as KNP continues its efforts to ensure the safety and health of the cheetah population.