Environment Ministry today said that Cheetah mortalities at Kuno National Park point to natural causes as per preliminary analysis by National Tiger Conservation Authority. NTCA is the apex body entrusted with the implementation of Project Cheetah. Five mortalities of adult individuals have been reported from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh till date, out of the twenty trans-located Cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia.  

There are reports in media attributing these deaths to other reasons including their radio collars. The Ministry said such reports are not based on any scientific evidence but are speculation and hearsay. It added that Project Cheetah is yet to complete a year and it will be premature to conclude the outcome in terms of success and failure, since Cheetah reintroduction is a long-term project. In the last 10 months, all stakeholders involved in this project have gained valuable insights into Cheetah management, monitoring and protection.