Team Blitz India
SHEOPUR: The death of two male cheetahs within a week at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh was caused by septicemia – blood poisoning by bacteria – which was a result of the radio collars worn around their necks in the prevailing wet conditions, an expert said.
Male cheetah Suraj, translocated from South Africa, died at the KNP in Sheopur on July 14, while another translocated male cheetah Tejas died on July 11.
The death of two cheetahs pushed the fatality count to eight, including three cubs, in less than four months, causing concern over the future of the cheetah reintroduction programme launched with a lot of fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September last year.