New Delhi (Agency): Jairam Ramesh, the former Union Environment Minister, has voiced his criticism against the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), accusing them of making a political statement that aims to conceal management failures and undermine conservation science. This comes after the NTCA released a statement, authorized by the Environment Ministry, claiming that preliminary analysis suggests the cheetah deaths at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh were due to natural causes.
Out of the 20 cheetahs translocated from South Africa and Namibia, five adult animals have died at the Kuno National Park. The NTCA’s statement asserted that all the deaths were a result of natural causes and dismissed other reports speculating different reasons, including issues with the cheetahs’ radio collars.
Jairam Ramesh responded to the NTCA’s statement, suggesting that the Prime Minister may have intervened to influence the NTCA’s stance. Ramesh regarded the statement as a political move intended to cover up failures in management and discredit conservation science. He expressed confidence that there is enough evidence to challenge the NTCA’s claim.
The Environment Ministry, in its statement, outlined plans to support the cheetah project, including the establishment of a Cheetah Research Centre with various facilities for rescue, rehabilitation, capacity building, and interpretation.
Recent deaths of male cheetahs Suraj and Tejas have raised concerns among experts. Some speculate that the deaths could be linked to infections caused by radio collars, although this occurrence is highly unusual given the long-standing use of collars in wildlife conservation in India. The exact cause of the deaths will be determined once the post-mortem reports are available.
The controversy surrounding the cheetah deaths highlights the differing opinions and interpretations within the conservation community. While the NTCA maintains that natural causes are responsible, critics like Jairam Ramesh question the validity of the statement, suggesting there may be more to the story. As the debate unfolds, further investigation and evidence will shed light on the true cause of the cheetah deaths at Kuno National Park.