Cheetah Tejas Dies: India’s cheetah relocation programme suffered a jolt when another feline – seventh cheetah- died on Tuesday.
Named Tejas, this feline had suffered injuries after fighting with a female cheetah a few months ago.
Post mortem reports indicate that Tejas was internally weak and couldn’t survive the violent clash with its foe. The reports indicated the animal had infections in its kidneys and lungs. There were some injury marks on Tejas’ necks as well.
Tejas was brought to India from Africa in February and was five and a half years old. It weighed 43 kilograms, which is less than the weight of an average cheetah.
The dead animal’s remains have been sent to the School of Wildlife Forensic and Health in Jabalpur for further examination.
There are 17 cheetahs remaining in India after Tejas’ death.
‘No plans to shift cheetahs’
On June 6, Union Minister for Environmental Affairs Bhupendra Yadav said that n cheetahs will be shifted from the Kuno National Park. He made this remark after visiting the Park and assessing the progress of Project Cheetah.
“Only after getting a satisfactory result of the first phase of Project Cheetah in Kuno, an alternative arrangement will be started in another National Park,” the minister said.
Mr Yadav’s remarks came in the backdrop of the deaths of three cheetahs between March and May this year. Three cubs also died in this period.
‘Project will be a major success’
The minister took full responsibility for the deaths of the six cheetahs but asserted that Project Cheetah will be a major success.
A top wildlife expert has said India doesn’t have the right ecosystem to support cheetahs.
AJT Johnsingh of the WWF-India told India Today, “Unfortunately, we do not have suitable habitat for cheetahs. Kuno is partly hilly, densely wooded, and a single prey with high temperatures, whereas in Namibia, it will be winter now.”
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