09-05-2023 : According to the Union Environment Ministry, a female cheetah from South Africa named Daksha passed away on Tuesday in India’s Madhya Pradesh owing to wounds she received during a male’s violent mating attempt at Kuno National Park. With Daksha’s passing, there have now been three cheetah deaths in the park in less than two months. A kidney condition caused Sasha, a cheetah from Namibia, to pass away on March 27. Uday, a cheetah from South Africa, died on April 13. Conservationists and wildlife experts are worried about Kuno National Park’s carrying capacity and the choice to retain cheetahs in enclosed cages as a result of these recent cheetah deaths.
The ministry’s statement reported that Daksha was found fatally injured by the monitoring team at 10:45 am on Tuesday. Despite receiving treatment from veterinarians, Daksha passed away at noon. The wounds found on her body suggested a violent interaction with a male during courtship/mating, and the monitoring team’s chances of intervention in such a situation were practically impossible.
The ministry further explained that violent behaviors by male coalition cheetahs towards females during mating are common. The cheetah project underwent a review by a team of experts, including members from South Africa, on April 30. Based on their recommendations, the experts have decided to release five more cheetahs into the wild before the onset of the monsoon season and keep the rest in fenced acclimatization camps until the monsoon rains end. Additionally, certain internal gates of the fenced enclosures will be opened to provide more space for cheetahs and enable “interactions between specific males and females.”
A Madhya Pradesh forest department official told the media that Daksha was released in enclosure number one, and two male cheetahs, Vayu and Agni, were released from boma 7 (enclosure) for mating. However, during the process, the male cheetahs turned violent, which is a normal occurrence, he added.
Wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Ravi Chellam noted that all three deaths occurred in captivity, and one of the four animals released so far has been captured twice and is now being kept captive. He raised concerns about the readiness to release cheetahs into the wild and the capacity of Kuno National Park to sustain them. According to the cheetah reintroduction plan, Kuno has the potential to sustain up to 21 cheetahs based on its existing prey base, which could increase to 40 individuals with proper restoration, protection, and management.
On Monday, the ministry announced that a decision on releasing the cheetahs into their second home would be taken after a review following the monsoon season. It stated that the exact carrying capacity of Kuno National Park cannot be determined until the cheetahs have established their home ranges adequately.