Full Breakdown
Injured Cheetah Cub Found Near Morena Forest Raises Safety Concerns for Kuno Reintroduction
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
A 19-month-old male cub of the cheetah named Nirva, part of the Kuno National Park (KNP) reintroduction program, was discovered injured in the Pahargarh range of the Morena territorial forest division. A monitoring team located the animal on the evening of October 25, 2026 and immobilized it for transport to KNP’s medical facility. Veterinary examination later identified pellet injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. Hindustan Times reported that the cub died during treatment, while Deccan Chronicle noted that the animal was still undergoing care and that the cause of injury remained under investigation.
Background on Kuno Cheetah Reintroduction
KNP currently houses 53 cheetahs, of which 15 roam freely in the reserve’s open range. The project aims to establish a viable wild population in central India, a region where cheetahs have been absent for decades. The cub’s mother, Nirva, is one of the breeding females introduced to the park.
Official Response and Investigation
The Director of the Cheetah Project, Uttam Kumar Sharma, issued a press note confirming the rescue and stating that the cub was receiving treatment. The State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) has been assigned to probe the incident, and a senior forest officer indicated that a full assessment of the injuries would be possible after 48 hours. Veterinary Dr Shobha Javre extracted pellets from the cub’s body and affirmed that the injuries were bullet-related.
Criticism and Calls for Probe
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, arguing that the incident exposes shortcomings in the park’s protection measures despite monitoring by 18 teams. Dubey highlighted that the shooting occurred only three months after a leopard poaching gang was dismantled in the area, suggesting potential gaps in anti-poaching enforcement.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Sources differ on the cub’s outcome: Hindustan Times reports the animal succumbed to its injuries, whereas Deccan Chronicle indicates it remained alive under treatment with the injury cause still undetermined. No definitive conclusion on whether a villager or poachers fired the shot has been released, and the investigation’s findings have not yet been made public.