Kuno National Park Cheetah Gaurav Dies During Treatment

Namibian cheetah Gaurav, one of the original big cats brought to India under the intercontinental Project Cheetah reintroduction programme, died at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park on Monday evening, September 21, while undergoing treatment, wildlife officials confirmed. The male cheetah, who was a little over 10 years old, breathed his last around 4 pm after his physical condition deteriorated sharply over the past ten days.

In 2022, Gaurav came to Kuno National Park as part of the first batch of eight Namibian cheetahs brought to India under Project Cheetah, PTI reported. He was among the first to step into the Kuno landscape, make a kill, establish a territory, survive competition with other males, and, eventually, father a new generation of cheetahs born on Indian soil. India’s Cheetah Population Crosses 50 Milestone After 5 New Cubs Born at Kuno National Park.

The Legacy of Kuno's 'Rockstars'

Gaurav, originally named Elton, arrived from Namibia alongside his coalition partner Freddy, who was later renamed Shaurya. The two males came to be known colloquially as the “Rockstars” of Kuno.

Gaurav and Shaurya were released into the free-ranging area of Kuno on March 22, 2023. Within 48 hours, the pair made a successful kill, a landmark milestone for Project Cheetah and, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the first recorded cheetah hunt in India in more than 70 years.  Cheetah ‘Aasha’ Gives Birth to 5 Cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav Calls It ‘Moment of Pure Pride’ As India’s Cheetah Count Hits 35 (Watch Video).

However, in January 2024, Shaurya was found weak and staggering before succumbing during treatment, leaving Gaurav without his long-time coalition companion.

Beyond wild survival, Gaurav played a foundational genetic role in India's reintroduction drive. In April 2025, he fathered five cubs with Nirva, a female cheetah brought from South Africa. The litter marked the first birth at Kuno combining Namibian paternal and South African maternal lineages, integrating the two distinct founder populations.

Gaurav’s final days were marked by severe health complications. Forest monitoring teams rescued him from the wild on September 12 after he was observed appearing dull and weak.

"On examination, he was found to be markedly weak, with visible muscle wasting and severe dehydration. Immediate systemic and supportive treatment was provided, following which he was shifted to Palpur and kept in a Quarantine Boma (QB) for close observation and further management," said the field director of the cheetah project.

The field director noted that based on preliminary clinical assessments, an underlying chronic condition was suspected. "Despite continued treatment and supportive care, his condition deteriorated, and he died at around 4 pm on Monday," he said, adding that the exact cause of the death will be ascertained after postmortem examination and analysis of the samples collected. Further details will be released once diagnostic reports are finalized.

India's Cheetah Count Stands at 55

Gaurav’s death leaves wildlife authorities with another post-mortem inquiry as Project Cheetah enters its fifth year.

Following his passing, Kuno National Park houses 51 cheetahs, which includes 36 Indian-born animals. Out of the 51 cheetahs at Kuno, 16 are currently ranging freely in the wild. With four additional cheetahs housed at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, the total cheetah population in India currently stands at 55.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2026 09:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).