5 Cheetah Cubs Born in Kuno National Park, Taking the Population to 60

In another historic milestone for Project Cheetah, KJP21, a 32-month-old Indian-born female cheetah, gave birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park today, bringing the cheetah population in India to 60, including 41 Indian-born cheetahs.

Cheetahs once roamed the open forests and grasslands of the Indian subcontinent; however, over-hunting during the colonial era, habitat destruction, and a shrinking prey base led to their complete disappearance from India by 1952.

Project Cheetah is India’s flagship wildlife reintroduction program to restore the cheetah population after the species was officially declared extinct in the country.

The project was launched on September 17, 2022, with the first batch of cheetahs brought from Namibia. It is the world’s first intercontinental translocation project for a large carnivore.

Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was chosen as the main release site due to its open forest habitats and healthy prey populations like chital.

Sharing the news on social media, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said KJP21 is the third Indian-born female cheetah to give birth, after Mukhi and KGP12.

He said the development marks an important milestone in the emergence of the next generation of India’s cheetah population.

Mr Yadav said the birth of the five cubs also marks the beginning of the Botswana lineage in India, as their father is a Botswanan male cheetah. He said this adds a new genetic lineage to India’s growing cheetah population. (In February 2026, an additional 9 cheetahs came from Botswana.)

The Minister described the development as another generation of cheetahs born on Indian soil, adding a new chapter to India’s cheetah reintroduction story.

Mr Yadav conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the veterinarians, field staff, managers, and everyone associated with Project Cheetah, whose dedication, commitment, and tireless efforts made the development possible.

As the cheetah population in India increases, the government is also taking steps to expand it into new areas like Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.