Cheetah shot dead at Madhya Pradesh wildlife sanctuary; five bullets recovered

Wildlife authorities in Madhya Pradesh confirmed the death of cheetah KNG22 following emergency medical intervention at Kuno National Park. The young male was brought to the sanctuary's medical facility with critical injuries sustained from gunshot wounds.

During surgical procedures to treat the injured animal, veterinarians extracted five bullets from the cheetah's body. Despite immediate medical intervention and care from the sanctuary's team, the injuries proved fatal.

The incident has prompted authorities to establish a Special Task Force to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Officials are working to determine how the animal sustained the gunshot wounds and identify those responsible.

Kuno National Park, located in Sheopur district, has been central to India's cheetah reintroduction programme, which aims to restore the species to Indian wildlife reserves after their extinction in the country in the 1950s. The death marks a significant setback to conservation efforts in the region.

Authorities have intensified patrols and monitoring operations within the sanctuary as the investigation proceeds.