Kuno cheetah cub allegedly shot after killing two calves

A 19-month-old female cheetah cub from Kuno National Park, which had strayed into Morena district, was allegedly shot at after killing two calves in a village. A veterinarian at Jabalpur Veterinary College has confirmed that the cub sustained gunshot injuries, with pellets recovered from its body during surgery. However, the Forest Department has not officially confirmed the cub’s death and maintains that it is undergoing treatment.

The incident has raised serious questions about the safety of cheetahs that venture beyond the boundaries of Kuno National Park, despite being fitted with radio collars and monitored by Forest Department teams. If confirmed, this would be the second reported case of a cheetah being shot in the country.

According to reports, two cheetahs entered a house in Bamori village in Morena at around 5 am on Sunday and attacked two calves tied in the courtyard. The animals’ cries alerted Somlavir Singh and his wife, who were sleeping on a cot in a nearby makeshift shelter. They spotted the cheetahs and informed other villagers.

Following the incident, reports emerged that a 19-month-old cub of female cheetah Nirva had been injured in the Pahargarh area of Morena district. The Forest Department team subsequently shifted the cub to Jabalpur for treatment, considering its critical condition.

Dr Shobha Jaware, a surgeon at the Wildlife School of Forensic Cell at Jabalpur Veterinary College, confirmed that the cub had sustained gunshot injuries. She said pellets were removed from its body during surgery but declined to share further details, stating that the Forest Department was the appropriate authority to issue an official statement.

Kuno National Park field director Uttam Kumar Sharma had earlier said that the cub was receiving treatment. Although reports of its death have surfaced, the department has not officially confirmed them.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident. He questioned the effectiveness of the security arrangements claimed by forest officials and said the attack had exposed serious gaps in the protection of cheetahs outside the park. Dubey said cheetahs generally do not prey on humans and expressed suspicion that hunters may have deliberately targeted the cub. He called for an impartial investigation and action against officials found responsible for negligence.

He also questioned how the animal could have been attacked despite continuous radio-collar tracking and monitoring by forest teams. According to him, cheetahs have travelled beyond Madhya Pradesh, with some reaching Rajasthan and others venturing as far as Rajgarh. He said the incident pointed to a possible failure of the existing monitoring and protection system.

Kuno National Park currently has 53 cheetahs, 15 of which roam freely in the wild, according to the information provided. The incident has renewed concerns over the challenges of protecting the animals as they move beyond the park’s boundaries.