Autopsy reveals Tara’s cause of death
The results of the autopsy conducted on a 4-year-old male cheetah in the Turan region have been released, revealing that anemia was the primary cause of death.
The young male cheetah, named Tara, tragically passed away recently. Tara, son of Talkhab, died due to severe anemia caused by leeches. During the examination, approximately 30 leeches were found attached to the roof of his mouth, with a significant number discovered at the back of his throat, Fars News Agency reported.
In Tehran’s autopsy report, it was revealed that necrosis had affected part of Tara’s heart and extensive bleeding occurred in his cerebellum - leading to loss of balance. Ascites or emphysema in the lungs indicated heart failure and severe ultra-acute anemia resulting from weakness likely caused by multiple leeches present in his mouth and esophagus.
This specific male cheetah was born in 2019 and initially identified within Turan National Park area through camera traps operated by Semnan Province’s General Environment Department.
While there is no available information about Talkhab’s mother and her presence has not been captured on camera traps, Faraz, her brother, still resides within Turan National Park. The fate and gender status of another sibling named Turang remain unknown.
The identification process for Talkhab and her family has sparked curiosity among wildlife enthusiasts and Iran’s environmental community regarding name attribution accuracy. Initially assigned as Khorshid in 2016, when she was recognized as an immature cub, alongside her mother Parieh and brother Faraz, subsequent events led to proper re-identification as Talkhab.
As investigations into this unfortunate incident continue, conservationists are determined to gain a better understanding of circumstances surrounding Tara’s death while shedding light on potential threats faced by cheetahs within Turan region’s ecosystem.