Cheetah Nirva Found Safe in Kuno National Park after 11-Day Search

BHOPAL: Female cheetah Nirva, who went missing from Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park after becoming separated from her three cubs, has been rescued from neighbouring Shivpuri district following an 11-day search operation, officials said on Thursday. The six-year-old South African cheetah was found safe and healthy, they said.

Nirva had separated from her three satellite-collared cubs on August 20 and moved in a different direction, after which the monitoring team lost track of her. Her satellite collar had also malfunctioned, making it difficult for officials to establish her location.

A multi-team search operation was launched to locate the animal. Officials eventually traced Nirva in the neighbouring Shivpuri area and safely rescued her. Following her capture, the malfunctioning satellite collar was replaced to restore reliable monitoring of the cheetah.

Nirva had faced a similar collar-related tracking problem in 2023, when she was located and captured after her collar stopped transmitting signals.

Her safe recovery has brought relief to officials involved in India’s cheetah reintroduction programme, with authorities continuing to monitor her health and movements closely.