Cheetah Conservation in India: Population Reaches 32 with Five New Cubs Born in Kuno

Bhopal: India’s ambitious Cheetah Project has achieved a major milestone. After nearly three years of careful reintroduction, a female cheetah named Mukhii has given birth to five healthy cubs in Kuno National Park, marking a significant boost in the country’s cheetah population.

Imported Cheetahs and Local Breeding

India initially brought in 20 cheetahs from Africa—8 from Namibia on September 17, 2022, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, and later 12 from South Africa. These cheetahs were placed in Kuno, with the aim of re-establishing the species in its natural habitat. Since then, seven adult cheetahs and three cubs have died, but the first generation of cubs born in India is now thriving.

Current Population Status

With the birth of Mukhii’s five cubs, India now has a total of 32 cheetahs, including 19 born in India. Of these, 30 cheetahs are in Kuno National Park, while two are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, Mandsaur. This marks the largest number of cheetahs ever successfully bred in India and demonstrates their remarkable adaptation to local conditions.

Project Success and Future Plans

Over the past three years, five female cheetahs have produced offspring six times, proving that cheetahs can thrive in India’s environment and hunt native prey such as chital. The project management team is now planning to expand to additional sanctuaries, as space in Kuno is becoming limited.

Conservationists celebrate this achievement as a historic step in restoring cheetahs to India’s ecosystem, ensuring that the species not only survives but continues to flourish in the wild.