Cheetah Brothers Stun Experts With Hunting Coordination

Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh): Cheetah brothers Prabhas and Pavak, brought from South Africa via Kuno in April 2025, have impressed wildlife experts at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary with their remarkable coordination, mutual support, and survival strategies, drawing comparisons to the iconic "Karan-Arjun" duo.

The pair was released by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda a year ago, when their survival in the new environment was seen as a challenge.

Over the past year, the eight-year-old brothers have together made over 100 kills and covered around 1,460 km.

They were released into a protected "protector-pack enclosure" due to the presence of leopards in the sanctuary, which also has a strong prey base of nilgai, chital and other deer.

A nine-year-old female cheetah, Dhira, has also been brought in and kept in a separate enclosure for now, with plans to introduce her to the males once acclimatised.

PCF (Wildlife) Samita Rajori said the study of Prabhas and Pavak is helping understand cheetah adaptation in Indian forests.

Experts identified three key survival behaviours: the "split attack pattern", where one cheetah tires out prey while the other intercepts it; the "sentry protection system", where one eats while the other stands guard; and "trust-bonding behaviour", including mutual grooming and staying close when one slows down.

These traits are expected to shape future cheetah conservation strategy in India.