Centre deputes a high-level team to investigate death of Cheetah, caused by firearm pellet injuries, in Madhya Pradesh | India News
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday deputed a high-level team to investigation the death of a 19-month-old male Cheetah of Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, caused by firearm pellet injuries.The team has been tasked with undertaking a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the Cheetah, examining all available evidence and coordinating closely with the Madhya Pradesh forest department to ensure strict and swift action in the matter.The 19-month-old radio-collared male cheetah, an offspring of Namibia-born Cheetah Nirva, was found injured on Oct 25 in the territorial forests of Morena, outside the protected area of Kuno National Park. Preliminary medical examinations corroborated multiple internal injuries associated with the firearm pellets.The incident, the first reported casualty of a shooting since PM Narendra Modi launched Project Cheetah at Kuno in Sept, 2022, is being viewed quite seriously at the Centre, given the critical importance of Project Cheetah and the need to ensure the highest standards of protection for the reintroduced population of the Big Cat.“As reported by the MP forest department, the injured cheetah was rescued from the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division the same day and provided intensive veterinary care and emergency surgery at the veterinary facility in Jabalpur. During the surgery, five firearm pellets were recovered from its body. Despite the medical intervention, the Cheetah succumbed to its injuries on Oct 27,” said the Union environment ministry in a statement.It said, “The state govt has already constituted a Special Task Force (STF), comprising forest and police officers, to investigate the incident. The central team deputed by the Union environment ministry would work in coordination with the state machinery. It would also examine the implementation of security protocols, as well as monitoring and protection measures being undertaken to avoid any such incident in future.
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“The central team would submit its findings and recommendations to the ministry for further directions to the state govt and field authorities.”The central team comprises the Inspector General of Forests, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Additional Director, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and Regional Deputy Director, WCCB.
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