Behind young Kuno cheetah’s death: local gun, armed population, and callous monitoring

A 19-month-old cheetah named KNG22 died at Kuno National Park after being shot with a traditional muzzle-loading firearm, according to investigators. The cheetah cub, born to Nirva, was found injured in the Morena Territorial Forest Division and underwent emergency surgery at a veterinary facility in Jabalpur. Five firearm pellets were recovered from its body, leading investigators to suspect the muzzle-loading weapon as the cause of death.

The region has a history of hunting activity, and local staff had failed to adequately monitor the cheetah. Despite a push to disarm the local population, firearms remain prevalent in rural and forested parts of India. The cheetah cub's death highlights lapses in monitoring by local staff and the need for a comprehensive security overhaul in the region.