Were kept in dark, never consulted: South African, Namibian experts move Supreme Court over cheetah deaths

The experts stated that had they been brought into the picture rather than being “ignored”, the deaths could have been prevented.

Amid cases of cheetah deaths inside Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, South African and Namibian experts have written to the Supreme Court raising 'serious concerns' over the management of India's ambitious Project Cheetah, under which a total of 20 radio-collared big cats were brought to India.

As per a report in the Indian Express, South African and Namibian experts who were part of the national cheetah project steering committee have highlighted that some of the cheetah deaths could have been prevented through "better monitoring of the animals" and more appropriate and timely “veterinary care”.

Read | Another cheetah dies at Kuno National Park; toll rises to 9

The experts have also expressed their anguish at being kept in the dark stating that had they been brought into the picture rather than being “ignored”, the deaths could have been prevented.

In the letter which emerged after the deaths of two cheetahs due to radio collar injuries, South African veterinary wildlife specialist Dr Adrian Tordiffe stated that the project’s current management has “little or no scientific training;” how the foreign experts’ “opinions” are being “ignored”.

The letter also questioned why they “had to beg for information” and how they “have become mere window dressing” for the project.

“Very little information has been forthcoming from Kuno regarding the cheetahs and their care. Although we are listed on the Cheetah Project Steering Committee as international experts, we have never been consulted by them or invited to any of their meetings,” Indian Express cited the letter as saying.

Earlier, executive director of Namibia’s Cheetah Conservation Fund, Dr Laurie Marker wrote a letter to the Supreme Court flagging the need for "better communication with experts, need to trust experts, better observation (monitoring) and regularly share reports with them”.

Under the Cheetah Project, a total of 20 cheetahs were brought from Namibia and South Africa to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in two batches -- one in September last year and the second in February this year.

Since March, six of these adult cheetahs have died due to various reasons. In May, three of the four cubs born to a female Namibian cheetah had also succumbed to extreme heat. The remaining cub is being hand-raised for future wildling.

Meanwhile, after the eighth cheetah's death last month, the Supreme Court had said that the number of deaths in less than one year doesn't present a "good picture". It further asked the Centre to not make it a prestige issue and explore the possibility of shifting the animals to different sanctuaries.

(With PTI inputs)