29 Mar A female Cheetah “Saasha” dies in Kuno

Saasha- one of the eight cheetahs that were relocated to India from Namibia died two days ago due to a kidney infection. She was part of the first batch of cheetahs flown into Kuno National Park as part of India’s cheetah reintroduction programme.   

She developed a kidney infection in January and had shown signs of fatigue during a daily monitoring check-up. The medical examination revealed that she was dehydrated and the blood test indicated that her creatinine levels were very high. The creatinine level was above 400, which resulted in her death. According to the Principal Chief Conservator of the Forest, Saasha was not keeping well since her arrival. And when she was diagnosed with renal disease in January, the Madhya Pradesh department dispatched an emergency medical response team. She was recently taken back to a quarantine enclosure at the Kuno National Park for treatment.    

A team of veterinarians led by Dr. Atul Gupta was treating her to save her life. The experts managed to administer fluids which improved her condition a bit. However, they lost her at 8 am on March 27. According to the reports, the authorities will likely conduct a thorough investigation to find out the exact cause of her death. 

The cheetah was one of two five-year-old female cats released in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2022. A dozen more cheetahs were brought to the park from South Africa this year on February 18. However, Saasha’s untimely death is a setback for this ambitious project. 

Blog Credits
HIMANI GUPTA