What does the shooting of Kuno's baby cheetah mean for the Cheetah Project?

Cub KNG22 was the offspring of the South African female cheetah Nirva. File photo for representational purposes only. | Photo credit: PTI

Story so far: On Tuesday morning (October 27, 2026), a 19-month-old cheetah cub died while being treated for five gunshot wounds at the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University (NDVSU), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.

Cub KNG22, the offspring of South African female cheetah Nirva, was brought to Jabalpur on Monday (October 26, 2026) night for emergency surgery, a day after it was found injured and unconscious outside its home, the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur district. This was the first case of a cheetah being shot since the Union government launched its ambitious Project Cheetah reintroduction program in September 2022. The cub was cremated on Thursday (October 29, 2026) at KNP.

Published – 30 Oct 2026 14:18 IST