A six-year-old South African cheetah named Uday passed away at Kuno National Park located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh, due to a cardiopulmonary failure. Uday was part of a batch of 12 cheetahs, consisting of seven males and five females, which were brought to India from South Africa on February 17, 2023.

This is the second death of the cheetahs brought from Namibia. In March, another female cheetah, Sasha, died due to renal failure. She was brought to India from Namibia.

The preliminary report of Uday's post-mortem suggests that the cause of death was cardiopulmonary failure, ANI reported quoting officials. However, samples have been sent to the Veterinary University in Jabalpur to determine the exact reason behind Uday's death.

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Second cheetah dies at Kuno National Park, forest officials seek their relocation

JS Chouhan, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), confirmed to ANI that they have requested the Centre to consider keeping some cheetahs in another location, in accordance with the provision in the Cheetah Action Plan. When asked about taking advice from Namibia and South African experts, Chouhan stated that they always seek advice when dealing with new diseases or undertaking new initiatives.

Chouhan also mentioned that all other cheetahs in the park are healthy and precautions are being taken to ensure their well-being. Uday's final post-mortem report is expected to provide more information, and additional precautions will be taken if necessary, in consultation with the experts.

The expert at the Veterinary University in Jabalpur will provide a detailed report on the cause of Uday's death, and it is not yet known whether it was caused by a virus or bacteria. It is also unclear how long the report will take to prepare.

ALSO READ | 12 cheetahs brought from South Africa released in acclimatisation enclosure at Kuno National Park

The South African cheetahs have finished their quarantine period and were recently released into a 6 sqkm enclosure at Kuno. This groundbreaking translocation involved flying the African cheetahs over 8,000 km to reach India, where the goal is to establish a sustainable population of 40-45 cheetahs within the next 5-10 years.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)

First Published:Apr 26, 2023 2:40 PM IST