Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday announced the birth of three cheetah cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, marking another milestone in India’s ambitious Project Cheetah initiative.
Sharing the development on X, the Minister informed that the cubs were born to Gamini, a South African cheetah and a second-time mother. The birth coincides with the completion of three years since the arrival of cheetahs from South Africa in India.
“A moment of pride for Kuno, and for India – may Gamini and her three little sprinters grow strong and carry the nation’s cheetah revival story forward with speed and grace,”he added.
With this development, India has recorded its ninth successful cheetah litter on native soil. The number of surviving Indian-born cheetah cubs has now increased to 27. Following the latest additions, the country’s total cheetah population has risen to 38.
Highlighting the significance of the milestone, Yadav said each successful birth strengthens Project Cheetah and reflects the dedicated efforts of field staff and veterinary teams engaged in the conservation programme.
Project Cheetah marked the world’s first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore, with 20 cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa to India during 2022–23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally released the first batch of eight cheetahs at Kuno National Park on 17 September 2022.
