Deep Wounds Found On Cheetah Neck Raise Concerns About Radio Collars

Three cheetahs in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh have been found with deep wounds in their necks, sparking concerns about the radio collars that were fitted to them.

One of the cheetahs, Pawan, was tranquilized by a team of doctors and the collar was removed. The wound was found to be infested with insects and was infected. The cheetah is now receiving treatment.

Currently, four doctors are stationed at Kuno National Park. However, given the gravity of the situation, an additional four doctors from Gwalior and Bhopal have been summoned to aid in the treatment efforts. Working in pairs, the team of eight doctors will tranquilize the cheetahs and administer the necessary medication.

To closely examine all radio-collared free-ranging cheetahs, they may be temporarily brought back to their enclosures. Drones could also be utilized to monitor their movement in the wild.

Last year, India introduced 20 adult cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa with the goal of reintroducing the species to its natural habitat. However, eight cheetahs have died in the past five months, raising concerns about the cheetah reintroduction program.

The government has said that five of the 20 adult cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa died due to natural causes and the media reports attributing the deaths to factors such as radio collars were based on "speculation and hearsay, without scientific evidence".

However, the discovery of deep wounds in the necks of three cheetahs has renewed concerns about the safety of the radio collars. The collars are fitted with GPS trackers to allow the cheetahs to be monitored, but there have been concerns that they could cause injuries or infections.

The government has said that it is investigating the matter and that the radio collars will be reviewed. In the meantime, the decision has been taken to bring back all radio-collared free-ranging cheetahs to their enclosures for close examination.

The discovery of deep wounds in the necks of three cheetahs is a serious setback for the cheetah reintroduction programme. The government will need to act quickly to address the concerns about the radio collars and to ensure the safety of the cheetahs.