Female cheetah Sasha in MP’s Kuno died of kidney failure, says autopsy report

MP forest officials will soon write to the central government to seek health reports of all seven cheetahs from Namibia to review their health

Published on: Mar 28, 2023, 20:18:45 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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A female Cheetah ‘Shasha’ brought from Namibia to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park died due to failure of both kidneys, her autopsy report revealed on Tuesday.

Sasha was facing renal issues before translocation and she died due to failure of both kidneys. (Cheetah Conservation Fund | Twitter)

Confirming the findings of the autopsy report of Namibian cheetah Sasha, who died on Monday morning, Madhya Pradesh principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) JS Chauhan said Sasha was facing renal issues before translocation and she died due to failure of both kidneys.

“She was a compromised animal and shouldn’t be sent to India. Our doctors and experts did their best to save her for two months. Her reports revealed that the Keratin level of kidney was 410MMol/L, which is 34 points above of (safe) limit,” said Chauhan.

Also Read:Female cheetah from Namibia dies in MP’s Kuno Park due to renal infection

MP forest officials will soon write to the central government to seek health reports of all seven cheetahs from Namibia to review their health, Chauhan said.

According to an official, test reports of two remaining captive cheetahs Savanah and Siyaya before translocation will be reviewed but no new tests would be done as it can traumatise the animal.

In a communique, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) said all the wild cats went through several health check-ups.

“Some values were slightly elevated, but no abnormalities were found in ultrasound. Sasha was behaving normal. The health reports were checked by both Namibian and Indian officials before translocation,” reads the communique.

Supporting CCF, former director and chief scientist of cheetah project, YV Jhala said, “Everything was alright before translocation. Kidney failure is a lifestyle disease of cheetahs and there is no need to make an issue of it. We know that mortality due to stress is high among cheetahs and that’s why Indian government is bringing 8-10 cheetahs every year. Sasha got affected due to stress and died. There is no need to think much about it.” Jhala was part of the team that brought cheetahs from Namibia.

Forest officials are now monitoring the health of the remaining 15 cheetahs who are in two types of BOMAs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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