Kuno cheetah KNG22 dies of pellet injuries; Centre forms probe team
Why in the news
On 28 October 2026 the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) set up a high-level central team to probe the death of a Kuno cheetah that had been shot with pellets.
Key facts
- Cheetah: KNG22, a 19-month-old male, born to the cheetah Nirva.
- Found injured: 25 October 2026 in the Morena forests, outside the safe zone of Kuno National Park; rescued the same day from the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division.
- Treatment: emergency surgery at an animal hospital in Jabalpur, where five gunshot pellets were taken out; they had caused several internal injuries.
- Death: 27 October 2026, despite treatment.
- State action: Madhya Pradesh formed a Special Task Force (STF) of forest and police officers.
Central team members
| Member | Body |
|---|---|
| Inspector General of Forests | MoEFCC |
| Representative | National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) |
| Additional Director | Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) |
| Regional Deputy Director | Regional office |
The team will work with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, examine the evidence, review security and monitoring protocols, and send findings and recommendations to the Ministry.
About Project Cheetah
Project Cheetah aims to re-establish a cheetah population in India, and Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh is part of it. The Ministry said the case was being treated seriously given the need for the highest safety standards for the re-established population.
Exam angle
- Kuno National Park is in Madhya Pradesh; the cub was found in Morena forests and rescued from Sheopur Territorial Forest Division.
- Probe team draws on NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) and WCCB (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau).
- Remember the cheetah ID KNG22 and mother Nirva.