Gaurav, founding cheetah of Project Cheetah, dies at Kuno National Park

Gaurav, one of the eight Namibian cheetahs that launched Project Cheetah in India, died at Kuno National Park on Monday afternoon. He was a little over ten years old.

Originally named Elton, Gaurav arrived at Kuno in September 2022 in the programme's first batch, alongside another male later renamed Shaurya. The two were released into the park's free-ranging area on March 22, 2023, and within two days made a successful kill — a milestone for the reintroduction effort and, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the first recorded cheetah hunt in India in more than seven decades.

The pair went on to establish a territory around their release site and became one of Kuno's prominent male coalitions, weathering competition from rivals Agni and Vayu. Their partnership ended in January 2024, when Shaurya was found weak and staggering and died during treatment.

Gaurav's contribution to the programme extended beyond survival. In April 2025, he fathered five cubs with Nirva, a female cheetah brought from South Africa — the first litter at Kuno to combine Namibian and South African lineages.

His final weeks were marked by failing health. He was retrieved from the wild on September 12 after appearing weak and dull. A veterinary examination found marked weakness, visible muscle wasting and severe dehydration, and he was moved to a quarantine boma at Palpur inside Kuno for close observation and supportive treatment. A preliminary assessment pointed to a possible chronic underlying condition.

Despite care, his condition worsened and he died around 4 pm on Monday, according to the project's field director. The exact cause of death will be determined after a post-mortem examination and sample analysis.

Kuno now holds 51 cheetahs, including 36 born in India, with 16 ranging freely. Four more are at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, bringing the national total to 55.