Female cheetah ‘Shasha’, brought from Namibia to Kuno National Park, dies

Cheetahs have been rapidly heading toward extinction and are classified as a vulnerable species under the IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list of threatened species. (Representative Image)

The female cheetah ‘Shasha’, which was brought from Namibia and released in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park on December 22, has died ANI reported on March 27.

Before being transported to India, it was found that the cheetah had a kidney ailment.

A female Cheetah 'Shasha' brought from Namibia to MP's Kuno National Park on December 22, has died. It was found that cheetah Shasha was suffering from a kidney infection before she was brought to India. pic.twitter.com/2VtAvchrNL

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— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2023

As part of an endeavour to bring back the spotted cat to the country, PM Modi released eight cheetahs - five males and three females brought from Namibia - in Kuno National Park, Sheopur district, on September 17, 2022. Sasha was one of the eight cheetahs.

A second batch of 12 cheetahs from South Africa arrived at the Kuno National Park on February 18.

The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was identified for reintroduction because of its suitable habitat, adequate prey base, and lack of human settlement.

In India, the cheetah became extinct in the 1950s.

These spotted cats were initially kept in small open fenced areas before they were shifted to larger spaces.

The last cheetah died in the country in 1947 in Korea district in present-day Chhattisgarh, which was earlier part of Madhya Pradesh, and the species was declared extinct from India in 1952.

The 'African Cheetah Introduction Project in India' was conceived in 2009 and a plan to introduce the big cat by November last year in KNP suffered a setback due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cheetahs have been rapidly heading toward extinction and are classified as a vulnerable species under the IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list of threatened species.