Could radio collars, the crucial electronic devices that help track the movement of protected animals, be harmful for them?

That is the question many are asking after the deaths last week of two cheetahs which were among the 20 big cats brought to India with much fanfare last year. Cheetahs, declared extinct in 1952 in India, were reintroduced as part of the world’s first intercontinental relocation of a large carnivore. They are housed in Kuno national park in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

So far, eight cheetahs, including three cubs born in March, have died.

Some of the deaths have been caused by unavoidable reasons, such as cardiac failure precipitated by stress or mating injuries.

But several wildlife experts and veterinary doctors have told the BBC that the last two deaths were caused by maggot infestations following skin infections. And they say one of the reasons could be the radio collars that the animals are made to wear for their own protection.

It’s a theory the environment and forests ministry has strongly rejected. In an official statement, the ministry insisted that the adult cheetahs all died “due to natural causes” and said reports blaming radio collars were “speculative and lacking in scientific evidence”. The BBC also contacted Rajesh Gopal, chairman of the cheetah project, but he hasn’t responded yet.

Wildlife experts, however, say such injuries are not uncommon among other big cats too, especially during India’s humid rainy season.

Alok Kumar, former chief conservator of forests in Madhya Pradesh, told the BBC that the deaths among big cats could be due to many reasons but radio collars – although key to their survival – could be a factor too.

“These collars carry chips that send information about the wearer through satellites and are necessary to monitor the movement of the animal for their safety and protection,” Mr Kumar said, adding that he “has seen infections caused by collars even in tigers”.

Yadvendradev Jhala, veteran conservationist and one of the experts who planned and oversaw the translocation project, told the BBC that the wounds may be caused by the animal scratching the area around the collar because of humidity.