<p>Each successive death of a cheetah in the Kuno National Park is a question mark over the wisdom of translocating these animals from Africa to India. Eight of the 20 cheetahs which were relocated to the park from South Africa and Namibia have died within a few months of their arrival. The latest death happened last week and according to reports, the cheetah died of septicaemia caused by maggot infestation in the neck, probably caused by the radio collar. Exposure to rains, humidity and flies was said to have aggravated the condition. It must have been a painful death. There are also, according to reports, two other animals that are suffering from the same condition. The government has, however, denied that the cheetah died due to infection. Four cubs were born after the cheetahs were brought to India.</p>.<p>Three of them have died. There were different reasons for the death of each animal, but together they point to the vulnerability of the animals and the hazards they face. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/cheetah-deaths-govt-issues-media-protocol-1239477.html">Cheetah deaths: Govt issues 'media protocol'</a></strong></p>.<p>The National Tiger Conservation Authority, which is implementing the cheetah project, has said that all the deaths were due to natural causes. But the occurrence of so many natural deaths in such a short time makes them unnatural deaths. It has also been claimed that the death of some animals was to be expected in a translocation project. But cheetahs are animals that face extinction, and it is not advisable to cause the death of even one of them. The Madhya Pradesh government has transferred the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state after the latest cheetah death and has ordered better surveillance and monitoring and timely intervention to ensure the well-being of the remaining animals. </p>.<p>The project has been mired in controversy from the beginning. Several experts had felt that Kuno National Park is not spacious enough for the cheetahs, which need large territories as their habitat. They had also foreseen the possibility of man-animal conflict because the cheetahs may stray into the villages in the periphery of the park for prey. The views of those who opposed the translocation of the cheetahs into the Kuno Park are becoming credible now. It has been criticised as a vanity project. The Kuno Park was considered ideal for relocating some lions from the crowded Gir National Park in Gujarat. But the Gujarat government opposed the proposal. Prime Minister Modi had opposed it when he was Chief Minister of the state. Wildlife projects should have the welfare of the animals in focus, not the vanity or pride of political leaders or even national pride or other sentiments.</p>
<p>Each successive death of a cheetah in the Kuno National Park is a question mark over the wisdom of translocating these animals from Africa to India. Eight of the 20 cheetahs which were relocated to the park from South Africa and Namibia have died within a few months of their arrival. The latest death happened last week and according to reports, the cheetah died of septicaemia caused by maggot infestation in the neck, probably caused by the radio collar. Exposure to rains, humidity and flies was said to have aggravated the condition. It must have been a painful death. There are also, according to reports, two other animals that are suffering from the same condition. The government has, however, denied that the cheetah died due to infection. Four cubs were born after the cheetahs were brought to India.</p>.<p>Three of them have died. There were different reasons for the death of each animal, but together they point to the vulnerability of the animals and the hazards they face. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/cheetah-deaths-govt-issues-media-protocol-1239477.html">Cheetah deaths: Govt issues 'media protocol'</a></strong></p>.<p>The National Tiger Conservation Authority, which is implementing the cheetah project, has said that all the deaths were due to natural causes. But the occurrence of so many natural deaths in such a short time makes them unnatural deaths. It has also been claimed that the death of some animals was to be expected in a translocation project. But cheetahs are animals that face extinction, and it is not advisable to cause the death of even one of them. The Madhya Pradesh government has transferred the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state after the latest cheetah death and has ordered better surveillance and monitoring and timely intervention to ensure the well-being of the remaining animals. </p>.<p>The project has been mired in controversy from the beginning. Several experts had felt that Kuno National Park is not spacious enough for the cheetahs, which need large territories as their habitat. They had also foreseen the possibility of man-animal conflict because the cheetahs may stray into the villages in the periphery of the park for prey. The views of those who opposed the translocation of the cheetahs into the Kuno Park are becoming credible now. It has been criticised as a vanity project. The Kuno Park was considered ideal for relocating some lions from the crowded Gir National Park in Gujarat. But the Gujarat government opposed the proposal. Prime Minister Modi had opposed it when he was Chief Minister of the state. Wildlife projects should have the welfare of the animals in focus, not the vanity or pride of political leaders or even national pride or other sentiments.</p>
