Three cheetah cubs have died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India, dealing a blow to the country's cheetah reintroduction programme. The cubs, born in March to a female cheetah translocated from Namibia, were the first to be born in India in over 70 years after the species was declared extinct in 1952.
Park authorities reported that temperatures had reached nearly 47°C on Tuesday, and the cubs appeared weak, underweight, and severely dehydrated. Despite efforts to save them, two cubs died on Thursday, while a third remains in critical condition under treatment.
The deaths add to a growing toll since the reintroduction programme began. Eight cheetahs were translocated from Namibia in September 2022, and 12 from South Africa in February 2023. Three adult cheetahs have died in the past two months, bringing the total deaths to six.
Wildlife experts had warned of potential risks from predators and insufficient prey. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court expressed concern and suggested shifting the cheetahs to an alternate location.
