Namibian Female Cheetah Brought To Madhya Pradesh Passes Away Due To Renal Infection

The female Cheetah Sasha who was brought from Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, passed away on Monday due to renal infection, according to a senior forest officer

Sasha was one of three cheetahs that were set free into the wild this March.

Sasha was among the first group of eight cheetahs that came to India from Namibia last year. These cheetahs were set free in Kuno National Park by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17.

Sasha was diagnosed with a kidney infection on January 22 and was treated by a global team of vets. Although she initially showed signs of improvement, she returned to a smaller quarantine enclosure after having spent some time in a larger one.

Sasha, a cheetah under the care of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, was confirmed to have passed away by the organization's spokesperson, Susan Yannetti. According to Yannetti, Sasha's passing was suspected to be due to renal failure, which is a common concern among cheetahs. Due to their susceptibility to renal disease, cheetahs are considered delicate creatures.

Sasha's health has been deteriorating for more than two months, and medical treatment has been administered to manage kidney-related health issues.

She mentioned that the actual reason for the demise will be disclosed during the autopsy.

The matter is yet to receive any comments from the Indian forest officials and MP forest officials.

Previously, the MP principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), JS Chauhan indicated that Sasha was experiencing a kidney infection, although she was recuperating favourably.

Chouhan announced a month ago that she had been placed in a quarantine BOMA and will soon be relocated to a secure and predator-free area. According to Chouhan, 'her diet consisted of buffalo meat to improve her strength.'

The veterinarians observed signs of dehydration and renal infection in Sasha.

On September 17th, cheetahs were relocated to Kuno National Park in India in a world-first intercontinental translocation project.

Currently, a total of eight cheetahs from Namibia have been accommodated, with four released into the wild while the remaining four are kept in enclosures.

Currently, there are three cheetahs that are still housed in the larger enclosure, however, only one of them will be reintroduced back into the wilderness.

As of February, the number of cheetahs present at Kuno in India has increased by 12 after they were brought in from South Africa. There are currently 19 cheetahs in total, and they are currently housed in a quarantine enclosure.

The group of twelve cheetahs that hail from South Africa are currently undergoing a quarantine period and will eventually be released into a BOMA that is free from any predatory threats.

A communication from the forest department of Madhya Pradesh reports that a blood examination administered on the initial group of cheetahs on August 15 of the previous year - when they were still in Namibia - demonstrated that Sasha's creatinine levels were at 400, which suggests she was unhealthy even prior to being transferred to India. However, the state forest department has declined to comment on the matter.

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