The ambitious Project Cheetah has received a major setback following the death of two more cubs. The cubs were born to the cheetahs brought in from Namibia.
Project Cheetah was implemented in September 2022. A team of experts, which had examined all the aspects of the project and submitted a comprehensive report, observed that twenty Cheetahs were successfully translocated to Kuno National Park.

Credits – India Today
The project was aimed at benefiting global cheetah conservation efforts by providing up to 100 000 km/square of habitat to the cheetahs. The plan also aimed at providing an additional 600 000 km/square of habitable landscape for the species.
The two cubs which died barely two months after their birth, took the death toll to six according to a report by the Times Of India. According to the preliminary reports, the cause of death was malnutrition.

Credits – Down To Earth
In the wake of multiple deaths, wildlife activist Ajay Dubey demanded the removal of the State’s chief wildlife warden, JS Chouhan. A Cheetah Project Steering Committee has been set up by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to review the progress of the drive.
According to the report by the Times of India, a team of wildlife doctors and personnel monitored the remaining cubs and the mother, following the death of the first cub on May 23rd, 2023.

Credits – Moneycontrol
The officials also stated that the place is also experiencing a scorching heat wave as the maximum temperature is reaching 46-47 degrees Celsius. “The intense heat wave led the management and doctors to swiftly provide the cubs the treatment,” said an official release.