NEW DELHI, May 25: Three of the four cubs born two months ago to the Namibian Cheetah Jwala in the Kuno national Park in Madhya Pradesh are dead. While one cub died on Tuesday, two more were found dead on Thursday morning.
The forest officials said the two cubs died due to “sweltering heat and weakness.” As per the officials, the cubs which were born to Namibian cheetah on March 24, died from apparent dehydration and weakness within the fenced area housing the mother and cubs.
A female cheetah named Jwala brought from Namibia at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district, gave birth to four cubs. After the death of the cubs, the total number of cubs has now been reduced to one at Kuno Park.
“After the death of one cub on May 23, the remaining three cubs and the female cheetah Jwala were monitored continuously throughout the day by wildlife doctors posted in Palpur. Supplemental food was given to the Cheetah Jwala during the day. During monitoring, the condition of the remaining 3 cubs did not seem normal,” the official statement said on May 25. It further said two cubs could not be saved despite all medical efforts due to their critical condition.
“It is also worth noting here that the date 23.05.2023 was also the hottest day of this summer season. The day’s maximum temperature was around 46-47°Celsius. Extremely hot winds and heat waves continued throughout the day. Seeing the unusual condition, the management and the team of wildlife doctors immediately decided to rescue the three cubs and do necessary treatment. 2 cubs were not saved despite all medical efforts due to their critical condition,” it further said.
The Union Environment Ministry had flown in eight cheetahs from Namibia into Kuno in September last year and 12 more from South Africa in February this year as part of the project that seeks to establish clusters of wild cheetahs in India. Of these three cheetahs have already died in Kuno in the last few months. A Namibian cheetah died in March from kidney disease, a South African cheetah died in April from an undetermined cause, and a second South African cheetah died earlier this month after being injured by male cheetahs during mating efforts.
(Manas Dasgupta)
