Leopard Attack Suspected in Deaths of Four Wild-Born Cheetah Cubs at Kuno

The deaths of four cheetah cubs at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park have dealt a major setback to India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme , with officials suspecting the cubs were killed by a leopard.

The cubs, born on April 11 to female cheetah KGP12 , were found dead near their den site in the Sheopur territorial division outside the protected forest area on Tuesday morning. Forest officials said the cubs were last seen alive on Monday evening, indicating the attack likely took place overnight. Their bodies were found partially eaten by a monitoring team during a routine inspection around 6.30 am.

Cheetah Project director Uttam Sharma said the injuries and feeding pattern strongly suggested a leopard attack , although final confirmation would depend on post-mortem and forensic reports . Officials said Kuno’s leopard population exceeds 150, increasing the possibility of predator conflict involving vulnerable cubs.

The cubs were considered significant because they were among the first cheetahs born in the wild after the species was reintroduced to India in 2022 following its extinction more than 70 years ago. Wildlife experts noted that cub mortality among cheetahs is naturally high, with predators such as leopards and hyenas posing serious threats during the early months.

Following the incident, Kuno now houses 50 cheetahs , including 33 born in India, while three others are at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. Officials said all surviving cheetahs remain healthy and under continuous monitoring. The deaths came just days after two Botswana cheetahs were released into the wild at Kuno after completing quarantine.