3 min readUpdated: Apr 11, 2026 09:23 PM IST
India’s cheetah reintroduction programme reached a new milestone on Saturday when a female cheetah born inside the country delivered four cubs in the wild at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
The new mother is one of the cubs born earlier to a cheetah named Gamini. She was born at Kuno, has spent over a year living in the wild, and has never known any habitat but the dry forests of central India. Her four cubs, whose sex has not yet been disclosed, are being monitored from a distance by a team of veterinarians and field staff. There are a total of 57 cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh now, with at least 21 cubs.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced the news on social media. “A historic moment unfolds at Kuno National Park as an Indian-born female cheetah of Gamini, aged 25 months, has given birth to four cubs in the wild — marking a major milestone in India’s cheetah conservation journey,” he wrote. He called it “the first recorded birth in the wild since the reintroduction began in 2022, and notably, the first such instance involving an Indian-born female.”
The minister was careful to situate the birth within the programme’s larger ambitions. “This is a significant step toward achieving the core objectives of the project — survival and breeding under natural conditions,” he said, adding that the development “reflects the growing adaptation of cheetahs to Indian conditions and stands as a testament to the dedication and tireless efforts of the managers, veterinarians, and field staff at Kuno.” He called it “a proud moment for the nation.”
The birth is the second consecutive breeding event involving a cheetah born on Indian soil. In November 2025, a female named Mukhi became the first locally born cheetah to produce young when she delivered five cubs. That Gamini has now followed is being read by officials as evidence of a pattern taking hold rather than a single fortunate event.
Kuno Field Director and Project Cheetah Director Uttam Kumar Sharma confirmed that the mother and cubs appear to be in good health. He also disclosed that nine cheetahs translocated from Botswana in February have now completed their mandatory 30-day quarantine and have been moved into soft-release enclosures. “All nine Botswana cheetahs are healthy and adapting well to their new environment,” Sharma said, adding that experts are monitoring them regularly.
The Botswana batch — six females and three males — arrived on February 28, representing the third intercontinental transfer of cheetahs to India following earlier arrivals from Namibia in September 2022 and South Africa in February 2023. Fifty-four cheetahs now reside at Kuno. Three additional translocated adults have been roaming freely in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur and Neemuch districts since being moved there last year.
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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav welcomed the news with a statement that tied the birth to the state’s broader identity as the centre of India’s cheetah revival. “The birth of four cubs in the open forests is proof that the land of Madhya Pradesh is fully conducive to the lineage expansion of cheetahs,” he said. “Our commitment to nature and wildlife conservation is succeeding. Heartiest congratulations to the managers of Kuno and the wildlife veterinarians.”
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