India, Oct. 28 -- A 19-month-old cheetah died on October 27 after five firearm pellets were recovered from its body during surgery.

The Centre has ordered a high-level investigation into the death and security arrangements under Project Cheetah.

Wildlife activists have demanded a CBI inquiry, alleging possible poaching and failures in monitoring and protection.

Conservation experts have questioned whether Kuno National Park can safely accommodate free-ranging cheetahs in surrounding human-dominated landscapes.

India's surviving cheetah population stands at 58, according to the latest figures provided.

The central government has constituted a high-level committee to investigate the death of a 19-month-old cheetah from firearm pellet i...