New Delhi: KGP12, an Indian-born female cheetah, has given birth to four cubs in Kuno National Park, marking a historic and joyous moment for Project Cheetah, a day after the initiative completed four years.
In a post on X, Union Environment Minister Bupender Yadav said, “A truly historic and joyous moment for Project Cheetah! A day after India’s Cheetah Project completed four years, KGP12, an Indian-born female cheetah, has given birth to four cubs in Kuno.”
“Four years, four new lives; a beautiful symbol of hope, resilience and the growing success of cheetah conservation in India,” Yadav said.
He also extended his congratulations to everyone associated with Kuno National Park and Project Cheetah.
India’s Cheetah Population Rises to 52
India’s cheetah population has increased to 52, including 32 cheetahs born in India, according to the four-year status review of the cheetah reintroduction programme.
Of the 52 cheetahs, 49 are currently in Kuno National Park, while three are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
The “Four Years of Cheetahs in India – A Status Review (September 17, 2022 – September 17, 2026)” released by Kuno National Park said the current population includes surviving cheetahs and their offspring from Namibia and South Africa, along with newly introduced cheetahs from Botswana.
According to the review, three of the eight Namibian cheetahs introduced on September 17, 2022, are surviving along with 22 Indian-born offspring, taking the total surviving Namibian-origin population and progeny to 25.
Of the 12 South African cheetahs introduced on February 18, 2023, eight are surviving along with 10 Indian-born offspring, taking the total South African-origin population and progeny to 18. Of these, 15 cheetahs are in Kuno National Park and three are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
Nine cheetahs from Botswana were introduced on February 28, 2026.
32 Cheetahs in Kuno Soft Release Bomas
The review stated that out of the 49 cheetahs in Kuno National Park, 17 cheetahs, including 10 males and seven females, are in the wild.
The remaining 32 cheetahs, including five males, eight females and 19 cubs below one year of age, are inside Soft Release Bomas.
Kuno National Park highlighted the establishment of breeding females and the survival of second-generation cubs as an important consolidation phase in India’s cheetah reintroduction programme.
The programme’s first year involved learning, adaptation, setbacks and recovery, while the second year brought breeding success and the survival of 13 cubs for more than a year.
During the third year, cheetahs were released into the wild and monitored round-the-clock across an inter-state landscape covering 12 districts, where they successfully navigated and survived.
The fourth year has been described as a phase of establishment, with cheetahs displaying natural ecological behaviour and the programme moving towards expansion to more sites.
Kuno National Park said the reintroduction programme has now moved beyond protecting only the introduced cheetahs and is focused on ensuring that India-born generations survive and establish themselves in the wild.