Kuno’s ‘Rockstar’ Gaurav Dies! Namibian Cheetah Succumbs During Treatment, India’s Cheetah Count at 55

Sheopur: A setback has hit India’s ambitious Project Cheetah after Gaurav, a male cheetah brought from Namibia in 2022, died at Kuno National Park on Monday afternoon while undergoing treatment. He was more than 10 years old.

Gaurav was among the original eight cheetahs brought from Namibia in September 2022, marking the beginning of India’s intercontinental cheetah reintroduction programme.

Gaurav Found Weak in the Wild

According to Kuno officials, field teams noticed Gaurav in a weak and lethargic condition on September 12. He was rescued from the wild and taken for medical examination.

Veterinarians found significant muscle weakness and severe dehydration. He was subsequently shifted to the Palpur facility, where he was kept in a quarantine boma for close monitoring and treatment.

Initial medical assessments indicated the possibility of an underlying chronic condition. Despite continued treatment and supportive care, his condition deteriorated.

Gaurav died at around 4 pm on Monday.

Exact Cause of Death Yet to Be Established

Officials have said that the precise cause of death is not yet known.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted, while samples collected during the examination will be sent for analysis. Officials said the final cause will be established only after the post-mortem and laboratory reports are available.

From ‘Elton’ to Kuno’s ‘Rockstar’

Gaurav was originally named Elton when he arrived from Namibia in September 2022.

He became particularly well known alongside his brother Freddie, later renamed Shaurya. The pair formed a hunting coalition and gained the nickname “Rockstars” among those tracking the cheetahs.

In November 2022, the two made headlines after successfully hunting an adult chital—one of the early signs that the newly introduced cheetahs were adapting to their Indian habitat.

Shaurya died in January 2024 after developing coordination problems and being taken for treatment. Gaurav subsequently continued ranging through Kuno on his own.

India’s Cheetah Population Now at 55

With Gaurav’s death, Kuno National Park now has 51 cheetahs, including 36 born in India, according to the latest figures reported by Kuno officials.

Of these, 16 are currently free-ranging in the wild. Another four cheetahs are at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

That puts the total cheetah population in India at 55.

The figure comes shortly after another significant development for Project Cheetah: India-born female KGP12 gave birth to four cubs at Kuno, marking the second generation of cheetahs born in India.

Project Cheetah Enters a New Phase

Launched in 2022, Project Cheetah aims to establish a viable, free-ranging cheetah population in India after the species became extinct in the country in 1952. Kuno remains the programme’s primary reintroduction site, while Gandhi Sagar is being developed as a second habitat.

Gaurav’s death is therefore both a loss of an individual animal and another event that wildlife authorities will examine closely as India works to establish a sustainable cheetah population.