The Crossbill News Desk
The forest officials from Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (August 27) confirmed the death of yet another adult male Cheetah, called Pavan. This brings the total number of cheetah deaths to eight out of the 20 brought from South Africa and Namibia. While these cheetahs have faced various causes of death, Pavan's demise is notable for its unusual circumstance—drowning.
Kuno National Park is central to ‘Project Cheetah’, the much-vaunted initiative aimed at reintroducing African cheetahs into select grassland habitats in central India.
A press release from the forest official said, “...Male cheetah Pavan was found lying near the edge of a nalah [drain] amidst bushes without any movement. The nalah was running full due to rains. Vets were informed and on closer inspection, it was found that the front half of the body including head was inside the water with no external injuries seen anywhere on the body. Preliminary cause of death seems to be due to drowning,” The Hindu reported.
Pavan, also known as Oban, was one of eight adult cheetahs imported from Namibia on September 17, 2022, which coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. After his initial release with the other cheetahs, Pavan was returned to the enclosures at Kuno National Park on two occasions due to his movements near the Uttar Pradesh border, approximately 300 kilometers away from Kuno.
Authorities subsequently released Pavan once more in early July. However, on July 14, he was recaptured and returned to the enclosure for health checks and treatment. This action followed reports of some cheetahs displaying maggot-infested wounds on their backs and necks.
In December 2023, authorities re-released Pavan into the wild at Kuno National Park.
Currently, most of the cheetahs are housed in specialized enclosures and are anticipated to be released into the wild starting in October, once the monsoon season ends. Among the Namibian cheetahs, Pavan was the only one released into the wild. All of the cheetahs are being monitored with radio-collars, allowing their movements to be tracked closely.
The most recent cheetah death occurred on August 5, involving a five-month-old cub born to cheetah Gamini in March of this year. Prior to this, the last adult cheetah to die was a male named Shaurya, also known as Freddie, who passed away on January 16. Shaurya, from Namibia, died in his fenced enclosure due to a "weakness," despite receiving medical treatment.
Kuno National Park is central to ‘Project Cheetah’, the much-vaunted initiative aimed at reintroducing African cheetahs into select grassland habitats in central India.
A press release from the forest official said, “...Male cheetah Pavan was found lying near the edge of a nalah [drain] amidst bushes without any movement. The nalah was running full due to rains. Vets were informed and on closer inspection, it was found that the front half of the body including head was inside the water with no external injuries seen anywhere on the body. Preliminary cause of death seems to be due to drowning,” The Hindu reported.
Pavan, also known as Oban, was one of eight adult cheetahs imported from Namibia on September 17, 2022, which coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. After his initial release with the other cheetahs, Pavan was returned to the enclosures at Kuno National Park on two occasions due to his movements near the Uttar Pradesh border, approximately 300 kilometers away from Kuno.
Authorities subsequently released Pavan once more in early July. However, on July 14, he was recaptured and returned to the enclosure for health checks and treatment. This action followed reports of some cheetahs displaying maggot-infested wounds on their backs and necks.
In December 2023, authorities re-released Pavan into the wild at Kuno National Park.
Currently, most of the cheetahs are housed in specialized enclosures and are anticipated to be released into the wild starting in October, once the monsoon season ends. Among the Namibian cheetahs, Pavan was the only one released into the wild. All of the cheetahs are being monitored with radio-collars, allowing their movements to be tracked closely.
The most recent cheetah death occurred on August 5, involving a five-month-old cub born to cheetah Gamini in March of this year. Prior to this, the last adult cheetah to die was a male named Shaurya, also known as Freddie, who passed away on January 16. Shaurya, from Namibia, died in his fenced enclosure due to a "weakness," despite receiving medical treatment.
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