Radio collared cheetah dies in first shooting case in MP; Tiger Strike Force probes poaching angle

A 19-month-old male cheetah died from pellet injuries in Morena district, Madhya Pradesh, following an incident where six MP Forest staff were suspended and two held, in the first such killing since 1947. Mathrubhumi English stated that the shooting raises questions over unexplained wildlife deaths and alleged poaching. Gujarat Samachar stated that Madhya Pradesh formed a Special Task Force to probe the incident. Social News XYZ stated the government ordered the probe after five firearm pellets were recovered. The Madhya Pradesh Tiger Strike Force is investigating a possible poaching angle. Madhya Pradesh Chief Wildlife Warden Samita Rajora stated, “Emergency surgery was performed, during which five firearm pellets were recovered from his body.” Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey filed a complaint with the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, demanding a high-level inquiry into security lapses. The incident brings India’s cheetah population to 58, across Kuno National Park, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. A veterinarian at the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in Jabalpur stated a formal report was lodged with the state forest department. France 24 stated India vows action after the cheetah was shot dead.

Sources

The Tribune

Read the original (opens in a new tab)Summary written by Animal Writes. Read the original before relying on it.

Editorial policy Report a mistake

More in Policy and Government

3 Nov 2026News
Two arrested in connection with poaching of Kuno cheetah cub
Two suspects were arrested for the poaching of a cheetah cub from Kuno National Park in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh. ANI reported that the Special Task Force in Madhya Pradesh arrested Bhagwan Singh and his brother Pritam Singh for allegedly hunting the animal using a licensed muzzle-loading shotgun in the forests of Sheopur. The 19-month-old male cub had died from pellet injuries on October 26, a day after a monitoring team found it wounded in the Morena territorial forest division and sent it to the veterinary institute in Jabalpur. ANI stated that the accused were booked under sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 pertaining to hunting. This marks the first killing and the 25th death of a cheetah since the reintroduction of the wild animal to India in 2022, when cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa were brought back seven decades after being declared extinct by the Indian government in 1952. The country now has a total of 54 cheetahs, with 50 located in Kuno National Park and four in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
30 Oct 2026News
Who shot Kuno’s young cheetah? Three arrested, weapon missing
A young cheetah was shot dead in Kuno National Park in India, leaving India with 58 cheetahs across its protected sanctuaries and reserves, according to wildlife officials. The State Tiger Strike Force stated that local residents were suspected of involvement in hunting the 19-month-old male cub. Officials stated that two brothers were among the suspects arrested, produced before the local court, and taken to the site for scene recreation. A wildlife official stated, "Local people were suspected to be involved, and three persons were arrested and produced before the local court." Five pellets from a traditional muzzle-loading firearm were recovered from the animal's body during surgery at Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University in Jabalpur, and the MP government stated that a licensed gun used in the killing was recovered, though the muzzle-loading weapon itself has not been found. The Madhya Pradesh government constituted a four-member Special Task Force to investigate the incident. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change deputed a three-member team from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to examine security arrangements and evidence. Investigators continue to examine radio-collar data and question villagers to determine the exact shooting location.
2 Nov 2026News
India’s cheetahs are roaming beyond protected forests. Can GPS collars keep them safe?
A 19-month-old male cheetah, KNG22, died after being shot with firearm pellets in the territorial forests of Morena district, Madhya Pradesh, outside Kuno National Park. Veterinary surgeons recovered five firearm pellets from the cub, born to the female cheetah Nirva, after it was found critically injured. The incident raised questions about the safety of cheetahs moving beyond protected areas under Project Cheetah. Kuno National Park director Uttam Kumar Sharma stated that satellite collars used for monitoring are generally programmed to transmit location data every six hours to balance updates with battery life. While satellite collars provide broad location data, dense terrain and transmission gaps mean monitoring teams cannot maintain constant visual contact, showing the limits of tracking technology for highly mobile animals that travel several kilometres daily in search of prey and territory.

From the Library

28 Feb 2026Official Release
89th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife committee
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired the 89th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife in Bhopal on 28 Feb 2026. During this meeting, the Standing Committee considered 58 fresh proposals for wildlife conservation and development projects located in and around Protected Areas, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves, and Eco-Sensitive Zones under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife is a statutory body constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is mandated to advise the Government on matters relating to the conservation and protection of wildlife and forests.
22 Jul 2026Official Release
Government steps on vet services, dairy and stray dogs
The Government of India announced on 22 Jul 2026 a set of measures aimed at bolstering veterinary services, widening the reach of dairy cooperatives, and improving the management of stray dogs across the country. The plan includes upgrading veterinary infrastructure, expanding cooperative networks for milk producers, and introducing new programs for stray-dog control and welfare. These ongoing and planned efforts seek to strengthen animal healthcare, accelerate dairy development, and enhance humane stray-dog management nationwide.
21 Jul 2026Official Release
Government steps for dairy, livestock and vet services
The Indian government announced a programme to enhance the dairy and livestock sector. The initiative involves constructing additional infrastructure, introducing digital reforms, and expanding veterinary services. Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh informed the Lok Sabha about these measures, clarifying that there is currently no proposal to introduce a Minimum Support Price for milk. Officials reported that 113 Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund projects worth ₹4,700.13 crore have been approved in Maharashtra, with an interest subvention of ₹123.46 crore released.

Radio collared cheetah dies in first shooting case in MP; Tiger Strike Force probes poaching angle

Sources

More in Policy and Government

Two arrested in connection with poaching of Kuno cheetah cub

Who shot Kuno’s young cheetah? Three arrested, weapon missing

India’s cheetahs are roaming beyond protected forests. Can GPS collars keep them safe?

From the Library

89th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife committee

Government steps on vet services, dairy and stray dogs

Government steps for dairy, livestock and vet services