Madhya Pradesh Kuno Incident: High-Level Probe Ordered After 19-Month-Old Cheetah Dies of Gunshots

The Union Government has directed a probe by senior government officials into the death of the 19-month-old male cheetah at the Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh following injury inflicted upon it as a result of firearm pellets. The death of the cheetah has brought up serious concerns in regard to the conservation of wildlife and the security of the cheetahs introduced through Project Cheetah.

The dead cheetah, referred to as KNG22 and son of the female cheetah Nirva, died on 27th October 2026 following emergency medical treatment.

Five Firearm Pellets Recovered During Surgery

As per information provided by the Madhya Pradesh forest department, the injured cheetah was located in territorial forest of Morena district, beyond the jurisdiction of Kuno National Park, on October 25.

This cheetah was treated by the veterinarians before being moved to the special facility in Jabalpur for further treatment. In an emergency surgery, veterinarians were able to remove five firearm pellets from the body of this animal.

It was found that there were several internal injuries related to the pellets. Despite all efforts for saving this animal, the condition of cheetah continued to worsen and it eventually died after two days of rescuing.

Centre Forms Three-Member Investigation Team

Three members have been sent by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. They include the Inspector General of Forests of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Additional Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and the Regional Deputy Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.

This team will investigate the ground situation, analyze the evidences and coordinate with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. The security and monitoring mechanisms in place will be reviewed by this team to find out what could be done to avoid such situations in the future.

The results of this team will be sent to the Union Ministry for further action.

Madhya Pradesh Government Constitutes Special Task Force

A Special Task Force consisting of forest officers and police officials has been constituted by the state government to investigate the case and trace out the guilty parties.

Both the central team and the state government will work together in carrying out this investigation. The officials have not yet ascertained the motives behind the shooting.

Project Cheetah Faces Fresh Conservation Challenge

This incident underscores the dangers cheetahs face as they venture out of sanctuaries into adjoining forests that may lack proper surveillance.

Project Cheetah, initiated in 2022, seeks to introduce a sustainable cheetah population back into India. This recent case has brought into focus issues regarding habitat conservation, prevention of wildlife crime and better coordination between forest and enforcement authorities.

The investigation will reveal how the cheetah was shot and what further measures can be taken to ensure the safety of India’s newly introduced cheetah population.

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