So far, 12 cheetahs from South Africa and eight from Namibia have been brought to India after its top court ruled in 2020 that the species should be reintroduced.
Tests are being conducted to determine the cause of death, Amit Mallick of India's national tiger conservation programme told AFP.Authorities said they were not informed of the ailment before the Namibian group was flown to India six months earlier. The spotted feline's reintroduction in India is the first intercontinental relocation of the planet's fastest land animal.
Critics have warned the creatures may struggle to adapt to the Indian habitat due to competition for prey from a significant number of leopards.