Namibian cheetah, Pawan, was found dead in the wild at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. The cheetah was found dead at around 10.30 am near the edge of a nullah, an official statement said.
The male cheetah was found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amidst bushes without any movement, as per a statement issued by the office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (APCCF) and Director of Lion Project, Uttam Sharma.
Veterinarians were alerted, and upon closer inspection, it was found that the front half of the cheetah's body, including his head, was submerged in the water. Notably, no external injuries were observed on the cheetah's body, the statement read.
The preliminary cause of death has been identified as drowning. Further details will be provided after the postmortem report is received, it said.
Pawan was part of a larger conservation initiative aimed at re-establishing a stable cheetah population in India. The cheetah's presence in the wild was seen as a symbol of the country's commitment to wildlife conservation and ecological balance.
The latest cheetah fatality at Kuno Park was reported weeks after a five-month-old cub of African cheetah, Gamini, died on August 5. With the death of Pawan, KNP is left with 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and as many cubs.
