Good News from Kuno: African Cheetah ‘Gamini’ Becomes Mother Again, Welcomes Three Cubs

Shivpuri, February 18, 2026: Wildlife enthusiasts at Kuno National Park have another reason to celebrate. The female cheetah Gamini, brought from South Africa three years ago, has given birth to three healthy cubs, marking her second litter in India. This brings the total number of cheetah cubs born in India to 27, increasing the overall cheetah population in the country to 38.

A Landmark for Cheetah Reintroduction in India
Gamini’s successful birth comes just weeks after Asha, a cheetah imported from Namibia, gave birth to five cubs at the park. Gamini was brought under the ambitious South African-India cheetah project launched in September 2022, aimed at reintroducing the fastest land predator, which had gone extinct in India decades ago. This marks the ninth successful cheetah birth under the project, highlighting a significant step in wildlife conservation.

Officials Celebrate the Achievement
Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav took to X (formerly Twitter) to welcome the new cubs and called it a “wonderful new chapter” as the park completes three years since the arrival of South African cheetahs. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also hailed the development as a historic achievement for wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and ecological balance, emphasizing the success of Project Cheetah in Shivpuri’s Kuno National Park.