New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday, May 18, expressed serious concern over the death of three cheetahs translocated from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National Park (KNP) of Madhya Pradesh in less than two months.
The top court has asked the Union government to consider shifting them to Rajasthan.
A bench of justices B.R. Gavai and Sanjay Karol told the Union government, citing media reports, that it appears KNP does not seem to be sufficient for such large number of cheetahs and the government may consider shifting them to other sanctuaries.
“Three deaths (of cheetahs) in less than two months is a matter of serious concern. There are opinions of experts and articles in media. It appears that Kuno is not sufficient for so many cheetahs. There is too much concentration of cheetahs at one place. Why don’t you look for suitable place in Rajasthan? Merely because Rajasthan is ruled by opposition party does not mean you will not consider it,” PTI reported the bench as saying.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Union government, told the top court that the task force is investigating all possible aspects including shifting them to other sanctuaries.
On May 9, KNP witnessed the death of the third African cheetah, Daksha, brought to India, The Wire had reported. She is presumed to have died due to a wound inflicted by a male cheetah during mating in their enclosure.
On March 27, a female cheetah named Sasha (from Namibia) died due to kidney ailment, and on April 23, Uday (South Africa) died due to cardio-pulmonary failure.
“You are bringing the cheetahs from abroad, it’s a good thing. But they need to be protected. They need to be given suitable habitat, why don’t you explore for more suitable habitat than Kuno”, the bench said, adding that it is not casting any aspersions on the government but expressing concern over the deaths.
The apex court’s concerns come against the backdrop of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change saying that five more cheetahs would be released in the wild in Kuno before the monsoon arrives.