African expert suggests against keeping 'healthy cheetahs confined' in Kuno
After 14 cheetahs were confined in enclosures yet again at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh due to a skin infection fear, South African cheetah expert Vincent van dan Merwe said that this continuous capturing and release is "unsettling" for the big cats. Merwe is a conservation biologist and part of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee's consulting panel.
Why does this story matter?
The recent fatalities of the big cats are seen as a major setback for the central government's cheetah reintroduction program under Project Cheetah, launched in September 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nine cheetah deaths have been reported since March, with two male cheetahs dying within four days in July. Tejas died on July 11, and Suraj's remains were discovered on July 14.
Extended captivity should be avoided: Merwe
Speaking to News18, Merwe said that the constant "mobilization" and moving of the cheetahs is extremely stressful. "Cheetahs find it difficult to settle into the new habitat and prevent them from breeding and, so, extended captivity should be avoided," he stated. "If the cheetah is found to be compromised because of the skin infection, then relocation to the bomas is justified," Merwe added.
Merwe speaks on deaths due to septicaemia at Kuno
When asked about the recent deaths of Namibian big cat Tbilisi and others in the national park due to septicaemia, the expert said, "That is something that we did not foresee." "The winter coat issue eventually caused septicaemia (cheetahs usually develop a thicker coat anticipating winter, which became an issue due to extreme humidity at Kuno). You cannot blame anyone for this," he added.
Timeline of cheetah deaths at Kuno National Park
To recall, cheetah deaths in India began on March 27, after a female feline named Sasha passed away from a kidney ailment. On April 23, a male cheetah named Uday died of cardio-pulmonary failure, and another female cheetah named Daksha passed away following a violent encounter on May 9. Furthermore, two more cheetah cubs succumbed to "extreme weather conditions" and "dehydration" on May 25.
All you need to know about Project Cheetah
As part of the cheetah reintroduction initiative, a total of eight cheetahs were brought from Namibia to India and released at Kuno National Park in September last year. Earlier in February, twelve more cheetahs were flown over from South Africa. Six of these live in different enclosures at the national park, while the rest live in the wild.
