NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has said that the central government cannot be blamed for the death of cheetahs rehabilitated in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park. The court was referring to a petition filed following the death of cheetahs in Kuno National Park. Nine cheetahs have died so far, including three cheetah cubs born in India.

Twenty cheetahs were brought to India from South Africa and Namibia as part of 'Project Cheetah'. Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952. The government told the court that it is carrying out operations for bringing more cheetahs and that they will bring in 12-14 new cheetahs every year. The Center had stated in the court that it is natural for cheetahs to die when they are removed from their natural environment and experts had earlier said that 50 percent of the cheetahs brought from Namibia would die.

Radio collars have been reported as the reason for the deaths of cheetahs. But the government said that there is no scientific evidence for this and it is just speculation and hearsay. In addition, the government has denied in the court the arguments that the government has been defrauded. The Center also stated that experts were consulted before making the necessary arrangements for the cheetah.

At the same time, the media had released videos of authorities examining the maggot-infested wound and collar of a cheetah named Suraj, who died on July 14.