BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has launched an investigation into the recent death of Cheetah Pavan at Kuno National Park (KNP). A three-member panel, comprising senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers, has been established to determine the cause of the cheetah's death and assess the well-being of other cheetahs in the park.

The cheetah's body was discovered near a swollen nullah, with no visible external injuries. Pavan was the only cheetah at KNP roaming freely in the open forest, and authorities believe he drowned in the nullah.

Pavan, previously known as Oban, was a wild-born cheetah and had successfully fathered two litters of cubs earlier this year, all of whom have survived. He was a second-generation cheetah, descended from a cheetah rehabilitated in Namibia, and had shown great potential for adapting to his new environment in India.

Meanwhile, a wildlife activist has raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding Pavan's death, filing a complaint with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the agency overseeing Project Cheetah. The activist highlighted that Pavan's location had been untraceable for ten days before his body was found and called for an inquiry into the role of the current KNP chief.

The activist also noted that similar incidents had occurred in the past when the current KNP chief was in charge of another reserve, where a radio-collared tiger had gone missing and was later found dead.

As part of a translocation project, 20 cheetahs were brought to India in two groups—eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February. Unfortunately, seven of these cheetahs have died. However, the project has seen some success, with 17 cubs being born, 12 of whom have survived.

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