Seven cheetah cubs deal with tick infestation, Kuno officials wait and anxiously watch

Four cubs born to Jwala too had undergone treatment with an anti-tick medication, which helped with the problem. However, applying the same treatment to Asha’s three cubs, aged over eight months, and Gamini’s four cubs, aged around six months, poses unique challenges. According to the park’s management, the cubs’ “young age, combined with their location in expansive soft-release bomas, makes the tranquilisation process risky and complicated”.

A letter by Kuno director Uttam Sharma, dated September 18, also details how the case of these seven cubs is different from that of nine-month-old cub Mukhi. “Mukhi was anesthetised for treatment at around 9 months of age, but this procedure was carried out in a small space within the quarantine boma, where the cub had limited room for movement. Additionally, this cub had been under the care of Kuno management since the age of 2 months, making the anesthesia process easier,” it states. These current cubs, on the other hand, are roaming freely in areas of 50-100 hectares.

The letter was addressed to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and the Chief Wildlife Warden.

Reuniting tranquilised cubs with their mothers is also a concern, as previous attempts have seen mothers reject their cubs after separation, as was the case with Mukhi last year.

“To anesthetise the cubs, they will need to be darted from a distance. This process will be challenging if their mothers are nearby. Kuno management currently lacks experience regarding the behavior of the mothers and cubs after darting,” the letter states.

Park officials also flagged “uncertainties in tracking the cubs after darting” given the tall grass and waterlogged terrain.

The lack of radio collars on the cubs also complicates efforts to monitor their movement. “Currently, the SRB (soft release boma) area is filled with tall grass, and due to the rain, pits and small streams are filled with water. This makes it extremely difficult to locate the cub after darting, and if they are not found in time, it could pose a significant threat to their lives,” the letter reads.

Sharma, when contacted, told The Indian Express, “The tick infestation is not dangerous yet. Last time three cheetahs died during the monsoon season, but in the case of the cubs, we don’t feel the need to medically intervene. Only when the need arises will we intervene.”

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, who recently sent a complaint to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change apprising them about the development, said there is “a need for international expertise in dealing with the tick infestation as Kuno officials have claimed they are not experienced in handling this delicate issue”.

On the issue of expertise, Sharma said, “These are new challenges and we will gain expertise as we tackle these problems.”

The monsoon season has historically seen heightened risk of tick outbreaks. In 2023, ticks were a contributing factor in the deaths of three cheetahs. This year, in preparation for the rainy season, the veterinary team administered Bravecto, a potent anti-ectoparasitic medication, to all the cheetahs at Kuno. Depending on each cheetah’s condition, the “medicine was either given orally or delivered via darting,” officials said. This proactive treatment aimed to combat parasites that thrive in the warm, humid conditions of the monsoon.

Though a plan is in place to administer treatment to the cubs, the tranquilisation process has not yet been executed due to the challenges mentioned above.