Indian-Born Female Cheetah Gives Birth to Four Cubs in the Wild

India’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Bhupender Yadav, today hailed a historic milestone in India’s cheetah conservation journey, as an Indian-born female cheetah of Gamini – KGP12, the second cub of Gamini’s first litter, aged 25 months, gave birth to four cubs in the wild at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

In a social media post, Mr Yadav described the development as a “milestone moment” for Kuno National Park and the country’s wildlife conservation efforts.

He noted that an Indian-born female cheetah, Gamini, who has been in the wild for over a year, has successfully given birth to four cubs, marking a major step forward in the cheetah reintroduction programme.

The Minister highlighted that this is the first recorded birth in the wild since the cheetah reintroduction began in 2022, and significantly, the first such instance involving an Indian-born female cheetah.

He emphasised that the development represents a major achievement in meeting the project’s core objectives—ensuring the survival and breeding of cheetahs in natural conditions in India.

Mr Yadav stated that the achievement reflects the cheetahs’ growing adaptation to Indian ecological conditions and demonstrates the success of sustained conservation and scientific management efforts at Kuno National Park.

The Minister also appreciated the dedication and tireless efforts of wildlife managers, veterinarians, and field staff involved in the cheetah conservation programme.

He termed the development a proud moment for the nation and extended his heartiest congratulations to all those associated with the project.

In February 2026, nine cheetahs from Botswana were released into quarantine enclosures at Kuno National Park. They will undergo an acclimatisation and health-monitoring phase before their gradual release into the larger landscape.

A month later, a historical milestone was achieved: the number of Cheetahs in India crossed 50, as Jwala, a Namibian cheetah, gave birth to five cubs. 

As part of the larger long-term goal of Project Cheetah, India plans to establish a metapopulation of 60-70 Cheetahs in the Kuno-Gandhisagar landscape.