Bhopal: A day after cheetah Veera was released into the wild in Kuno, one her two cubs — who were also released — died on Friday. The cub, released into the Parond range on Dec 4 with its mother and sibling, appears to have been separated during the night, officials said.The release, conducted by chief minister Mohan Yadav during an International Cheetah Day event, had been hailed as “historic,” drawing officials, wildlife experts and local villagers. Veera, brought from South Africa in early 2024, gave birth to the two cubs in Feb 2025. Their release was seen as a significant conservation step, increasing the number of free-ranging cheetahs in Kuno. Celebration quickly gave way to concern when trackers lost the cub’s radio-collar signal on Thursday night. “We lost the signal after dark. When telemetry picked up movement again on Friday, the animal was already dead,” a field official said. The carcass was recovered without any visible injuries.”The exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem report,” state’s chief wildlife warden Shubranjan Sen told TOI, adding that Veera and her remaining cub are together and doing well.Officials said a dedicated team of wildlife veterinarians, radio-tracking experts and field staff are maintaining round-the-clock surveillance on the released animals. A detailed post-mortem report is expected soon, and monitoring protocols are being reviewed in the wake of the cub’s death.Forest authorities maintain that all remaining cheetahs in Kuno are currently healthy and under close observation.
