Bhopal: A 19-month-old male cheetah cub found with suspected gunshot injuries outside Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has died while undergoing treatment in Jabalpur, forest officials confirmed. The incident marks the first suspected shooting of a cheetah since India launched its ambitious reintroduction programme in September 2022.

The death has raised concerns over the safety of cheetahs roaming beyond the protected boundaries of Kuno National Park, with wildlife authorities launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the animal's injuries. The Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force has been tasked with investigating the incident, including the possibility of poaching.

The cheetah was found in a weakened condition on October 25 after a monitoring team noticed that it had remained unusually inactive for several hours.

According to forest officials, the animal initially appeared tired, prompting the monitoring team to observe its movements. However, when it continued to remain at the same location until evening, the team alerted senior officials, who initiated a rescue operation.

The injured cheetah was subsequently rescued and taken for medical treatment. Despite efforts to save the animal, it died during treatment in Jabalpur.

Samita Rajora, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said the monitoring team had informed the Field Director of Kuno National Park after noticing changes in the cheetah's behaviour.

“On October 25, the monitoring committee reported to the Field Director, Kuno National Park, that the cheetah looked a little tired. Since they monitor it and are stationed nearby, they said it hadn't been moving as much since morning. They thought that if it eats too much, it generally gets tired.

“So, in the evening, when it didn't move from the spot, they raised an alarm call, and the FD and others went in. They rescued it in the early morning. So, now it’s under treatment."

Rajora had earlier said that the exact circumstances in which the cheetah sustained its injuries remained unclear and that medical examinations were necessary to determine their nature and possible cause.

“All those things will take time to determine what happened and the source of the injury, because there is an injury on its back that needs to be looked into. So, they are keeping the animal stable,” said Rajora.

The suspected gunshot injury has brought the possibility of poaching under scrutiny. However, officials have not yet established whether the cheetah was deliberately targeted or how the injury was inflicted.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey alleged that the incident exposed serious shortcomings in the protection of cheetahs, particularly those moving outside the national park.

In a post on Instagram, Dubey criticised the authorities responsible for the cheetah reintroduction programme and questioned their response to earlier warnings about suspected poaching activities.

“FD Cheetah Project & DFO Kuno FAILED to protect Cheetah! MP CWLW now sends special team to Kuno, Sheopur after poacher attack - Cheetah critical. I flagged radio-collared leopard poaching, demanded action - Kuno park failed. My fear came true; now cheetah attacked. Accountability must be fixed (SIC),” Dubey said in a post on his Instagram handle.

Speaking to Mathrubhumi English, Dubey said the injured cheetah had been found in the Bamori area of Morena district. He also referred to an earlier case involving suspected leopard poaching in the region and alleged that warnings about potential threats to cheetahs had not received adequate attention.

“The cheetah was found in the Bamori area of Morena. Earlier, in July, a gang was caught in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, that had poached leopards in MP's Sheorpur and Kuno area. It was doubted that they might have attacked cheetahs. I had flagged the concern with the forest department but nothing happened. There is zero accountability in this Cheetah Project,” Dubey told Mathrubhumi English.

The incident comes more than four years after India launched Project Cheetah, which aims to restore the species to the country decades after it was declared extinct in the wild.

The programme began in September 2022 with the translocation of cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park, followed by additional animals brought from South Africa.

While the project has recorded births in India, it has also faced challenges involving cheetah deaths, habitat management and the movement of animals beyond protected areas.

The latest death has brought renewed attention to the risks faced by cheetahs outside the park and the effectiveness of monitoring and protection measures.

The findings of the State Tiger Strike Force investigation are expected to establish whether the animal's injuries were caused by a firearm and whether any criminal activity was involved.