6 Deaths In A Row Pose A Major Challenge To India's 'Project Cheetah'

A series of deaths of cheetahs at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) has cast a shadow on the Central government's ambitious 'Project Cheetah' which aims to re-establish the species in its historical range in India.

When the Namibian cheetah 'Siyaya' gave birth to four cubs on 29 March, she expected cool winter nights, but instead what she got was a scorching summer in India, with heatwaves sometimes hovering over 45 degrees Celsius.

These vulnerable creatures were indeed deceived by the harsh summer in India with the death of three cheetah cubs within a span of seven days. With this, the number of cheetah deaths has reached a total of six -- three cubs and three adults -- within a span of just two months.

How Kuno kept losing them one by one

On March 27, a female cheetah, named 'Sasha', that arrived at KNP from Namibia died due to an infection in her kidneys. She was one of the eight big cats brought to India on September 17 last year, to launch India's Project Cheetah.

Six-year-old Sasha fell ill in late January. Her blood results indicated that she had chronic renal insufficiency. She was successfully stabilised by the veterinary team at KNP, but later died in March.

After her, Uday, an adult male cheetah, died due to heart failure on April 24. On May 9, another female cheetah, named Daksha, died due to a fight with another male during mating.

On May 23, three India-born cheetah cubs died at KNP due to weakness and a sweltering heat wave.

According to forest officials, the daytime temperature in Madhya Pradesh was around 46-47 degrees Celsius and the cubs were found severely dehydrated. Despite treatment, they could not be saved.

Can heat prove fatal?

Yes, heat can be challenging for cheetahs as they are adapted to thrive in specific environments with suitable temperatures. While cheetahs are well-adapted to warm climates, excessive heat can pose risk to their health and even be fatal under certain circumstances.

Cheetahs are built for speed rather than endurance, and they are not as efficient at dissipating heat as some other species in the big cat family can do. Their slender body and respiratory system are designed for short bursts of intense activity rather than prolonged exertion.

When temperatures rise, cheetahs may struggle to regulate their body temperature effectively, which can lead to heat stress or exhaustion.

Moreover, heat can also negatively impact their prey availability. As the ambient temperature rises, some of the cheetah's prey may become less active or seek shelter, which can lead to decreased hunting success and food scarcity.

Is cheetah deaths a setback?

The death of six big cats in a quick session has given a tough time to the authorities of Project Cheetah, India's grand wildlife experiment to restore the population of these endangered creatures, who had gone extinct in the country.

Forest officials believe that India's reintroduction project is going to see even higher moralities in the next few months. Endangered cheetah populations have a staggeringly high rate of infant mortality.

According to experts, about 90 per cent of infant mortality prevails among cheetahs while just 5 per cent of their cubs survive to see adulthood. In such a situation, it remains to be seen whether the authorities concerned would be able to take the project forward.