📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Charles J. Sharp
Science
Female Cheetah ‘Nirva’ Missing for Days Found Near Shivpuri, MP
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 03 Sep 2026, 04:32 PM
👁 4
After several days of intensive search, the forest department located the South‑African‑origin female cheetah named Nirva near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, bringing relief to wildlife officials.
The forest department of Madhya Pradesh announced on Friday that the missing female cheetah, Nirva, imported from South Africa, has been recovered near Shivpuri. The animal had been unaccounted for since early this week, prompting a coordinated effort involving more than fifty forest staff and specialists from the state’s cheetah project.
Search teams combed the dense scrubland and open grasslands surrounding Shivpuri, using radio telemetry and visual tracking. After a systematic sweep, the cheetah was spotted resting near a water source, and officials safely tranquilized and secured her for transport back to the breeding centre.
The successful recovery is being hailed as a testament to the dedication of forest personnel and the effectiveness of the ongoing cheetah re‑introduction program in central India. Authorities said Nirva is in good health and will resume her role in the conservation effort aimed at establishing a viable wild population in the region.
The incident underscores the challenges of managing exotic wildlife in Indian reserves and highlights the importance of rapid response mechanisms. The department plans to review its monitoring protocols to prevent similar disappearances in the future.
Search teams combed the dense scrubland and open grasslands surrounding Shivpuri, using radio telemetry and visual tracking. After a systematic sweep, the cheetah was spotted resting near a water source, and officials safely tranquilized and secured her for transport back to the breeding centre.
The successful recovery is being hailed as a testament to the dedication of forest personnel and the effectiveness of the ongoing cheetah re‑introduction program in central India. Authorities said Nirva is in good health and will resume her role in the conservation effort aimed at establishing a viable wild population in the region.
The incident underscores the challenges of managing exotic wildlife in Indian reserves and highlights the importance of rapid response mechanisms. The department plans to review its monitoring protocols to prevent similar disappearances in the future.