Madhya Pradesh State PCS

• 06 Aug 2024

Cub Dies in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park

Why in News?

A five-month-old cheetah cub, born to the African cheetah Gamini, died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

• Kuno National Park now has 13 adult cheetahs and 12 cubs remaining.

Key Points

• The five-month-old cheetah cub, whose health suddenly deteriorated and was found dragging its hind portion due to a fractured vertebral column, has died; the cause of death will be confirmed after an autopsy.
• Kuno National Park:
  • Kuno National Park, located in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district is home to several cheetahs translocated from Namibia and South Africa.
  • It is named after the Kuno River, one of the main tributaries of the Chambal River, which flows through the area.

43 Tiger Deaths in Madhya Pradesh

Why in News?

• The deaths of 43 tigers between 2021 and 2023 were investigated, with 34 deaths in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and 9 in Shahdol Forest Circle.

Key Points

• Special Investigation Team (SIT) Report: The SIT, headed by State Tiger Strike Force in-charge, submitted its report to the acting Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & Head of the Forest Force (PCCF-HoFF) on July 15.
• Lack of Investigation: The report highlighted insufficient investigation into at least 10 tiger death cases, disinterest by higher authorities and Forest Range Officers, and missing body parts in 10 out of 34 cases.
• Formation of SIT: The SIT was formed on the orders of the state’s Chief Wildlife Warden to investigate the high number of tiger deaths.

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR)

• It is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh and is spread over the Vindhya hills.
• In 1968, it was notified as a national park and in 1993 was declared a tiger reserve- under the Project Tiger Network at the neighbouring Panpatha Sanctuary.
• It is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India as well as in the world.
  • These streams then merge into the Son river (an important southern tributary to the river Ganga).
• The important prey species consists of chital, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, langur and rhesus macaque.
  • Dependent upon them are the major predators like tiger, leopard, wild dog, wolf and jackal.