Concerns Rise Over Radio Collars as Eight Cheetah Die in Kuno National Park

• 21 Jul 2023

Eight cheetahs have tragically died in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, sparking concerns and investigations into the cause of their deaths.

Key Points:

• Role of Sub-standard Radio Collars: Some experts believe that the deaths may be linked to sub-standard radio collars used on the cheetahs.
• A study criticized the 3% collar weight rule, suggesting that the forces exerted by collars during movement could be significant for cheetahs.
• Collar-Induced Wounds Identified: These secondary bacterial infections under the collars have become a cause of worry, especially with the arrival of the monsoon.
• Factors Making Cheetahs Vulnerable: Cheetahs grow a winter coat, which retains more water and takes longer to dry, weakening the skin over time.
• Novel Pathogens and Immunity Loss: These animals might be vulnerable to certain local pathogens, to which Indian tigers and leopards may be immune, or they could have carried dormant pathogens that flourished due to stress and loss of immunity.