In first such killing in India, Kuno cheetah cub shot dead, pellets recovered

KNG22 was a 19-month-old male cheetah found critically injured in Compartment No. 748 of Madhya Pradesh’s Morena Territorial Forest Division. His death is significant because it is believed to be the first reported killing of a cheetah in India since the species was reintroduced in 2022.

An X-ray showed several foreign bodies inside his body. A CT scan later found damage to internal organs, the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. Veterinary specialists shifted KNG22 to NDVSU in Jabalpur, where doctors performed emergency surgery and recovered five firearm pellets.

The veterinary team continued treatment, but KNG22 could not be saved. The Madhya Pradesh government has formed a Special Task Force of forest and police officers. It will investigate how the cheetah received the pellet injuries and examine the circumstances surrounding his death.

Firearm pellets are small metal projectiles fired from a gun, commonly in groups rather than as one large bullet. The article does not explain their technical design, but it identifies five pellets inside KNG22’s body. Their presence showed that the cheetah had suffered firearm-related injuries.

Doctors first used an X-ray after rescuing KNG22. It revealed multiple foreign bodies in different parts of his body. A later CT scan provided a more detailed picture, showing damage to internal organs, the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. These findings led specialists to pursue intensive treatment and emergency surgery.

During surgery, veterinarians physically recovered five firearm pellets. This confirmed the suspected cause of the injuries. Despite the operation and continued efforts by the veterinary team, KNG22 died. The Special Task Force will investigate how and where the shooting occurred.

India’s reported cheetah population stands at 58 after KNG22’s death. This figure covers cheetahs held across three protected areas named in the government statement. The distribution matters because it shows where the reintroduced population is currently concentrated.

Kuno National Park contains 52 cheetahs. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary contains four, while Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, or VDTR, contains two. Together, these figures total 58. Kuno therefore holds the clear majority of India’s reported cheetahs.

The figures come from a statement issued by Dr Sameeta Rajora, Madhya Pradesh’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden. The death of KNG22 changes the reported total, while the circumstances of his injuries remain under investigation. The Special Task Force is examining the incident across the forest and police departments.

The description refers to the period after cheetahs were reintroduced to India in 2022. Since that return, KNG22’s death is believed to be the first reported case in which a cheetah was killed by firearm pellets. That makes the incident especially serious for a newly restored population.

The article connects this event with a much older record. In 1947, Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Koriya shot India’s last three remaining Asiatic cheetahs. Those deaths are identified as the previous last recorded killings of cheetahs in India.

The wording “believed to be” reflects the report’s stated assessment, while the current incident is still being investigated. KNG22 was found injured, treated and operated on, but died after five pellets were removed. The Special Task Force will establish the circumstances behind the shooting and determine what happened in Morena’s forest division.

A Special Task Force, or STF, is a dedicated team assembled to investigate a particular case. The article identifies this STF as a group of forest and police officers. Its purpose is to examine the circumstances under which KNG22 sustained firearm pellet injuries.

The need for an investigation arose after the injured cheetah was rescued from Morena’s forest division. Medical scans found foreign bodies and extensive damage, while surgery recovered five firearm pellets. These findings indicated that the animal had been shot, but they did not establish who fired the weapon or exactly how the incident occurred.

The Madhya Pradesh government announced the STF in a statement dated October 27. Dr Sameeta Rajora, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, announced its formation. The team’s findings may clarify the incident and inform responses to protect the remaining cheetahs.

KNG22’s death directly affects the reported size of India’s cheetah population. The government statement places the total at 58, including cheetahs in Kuno National Park, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. The loss is especially important because the population is being rebuilt after reintroduction.

KNG22 was not lost to an unexplained illness. Scans showed extensive internal damage, and surgery recovered five firearm pellets. His death therefore raises a protection concern: a reintroduced cheetah was found shot in a forest division. The article does not identify the shooter or explain how the animal was attacked.

The Special Task Force will investigate the circumstances. Its work may establish what happened and help authorities respond to risks facing the remaining 58 cheetahs. The article does not state any new conservation measures beyond forming the STF, so the investigation is the immediate next step.

Wildlife reintroduction means moving members of a species into a country or area where that species has disappeared, with the aim of establishing it again. The article states that cheetahs were reintroduced to India in 2022. It does not describe the full reintroduction process, so this definition uses established conservation terminology.

The basic mechanism is to place animals in suitable protected areas and support their survival and breeding. In this case, the article reports cheetahs in Kuno National Park, Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. These locations now hold India’s reported total of 58 cheetahs.

Reintroduction is used to restore a species that has vanished from a country. It can rebuild a population over time, but success depends on animals surviving and receiving protection. KNG22’s shooting shows why monitoring and investigation matter. The article does not state the program’s long-term targets or specific protection plans.