Cheetah killed by gunfire in central India

A 19-month-old cheetah, identified by the code KNG22, has been killed by gunfire in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The animal was found wounded in a forest outside Kuno National Park, approximately 300 kilometers from New Delhi.

The Ministry of Environment described the incident as “exceptionally serious.” Although veterinarians performed surgery to remove five pellets from the animal, it succumbed to extensive internal injuries. An investigation has been launched by the Indian National Large Cat Protection Administration to determine the circumstances of the shooting.

This marks the first recorded instance of a cheetah being killed by gunfire since the species was reintroduced to India in 2022, following its extinction in the country in 1952. The reintroduction program, supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, involved bringing animals from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park. Current statistics indicate an Indian cheetah population of 60 individuals, 41 of which were born in the country.