Top court airs concern over deaths of cheetahs

The deaths of eight cheetahs at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) in a year does not paint a good picture, the Supreme Court said on Thursday, as it sought a response from the Centre on the reasons behind the rising fatalities and steps taken to keep a check on such cases.

- Abraham Thomas

A bench headed by justice BR Gavai was examining the matter while hearing a 1995 public interest litigation (PIL), when it remarked: "40% deaths occurring within a year does not reflect a good picture."

Eight cheetahs, five adults and three cubs, have died ever since KNP in Sheopur district received 20 cheetahs-eight from Namibia and 12 from South Africa - in two tranches, as part of the country's first intercontinental translocation project, starting September 17. Of those alive, nine cheetahs have been released in the wild and seven cheetahs, including a cub, are in enclosures, according to forest officials. The officials are trying to capture all the cheetahs for clinical examination.