In a major boost to India’s ambitious Project Cheetah, Namibian female cheetah Jwala has given birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district. The birth, recorded on March 9, has pushed the total number of cheetahs in India to 53.
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav shared the development on social media on Monday, calling it a historic achievement for Project Cheetah. He said that since arriving in Kuno, Jwala has successfully adapted to the environment and has emerged as one of the park’s most successful female cheetahs.
Jwala, earlier known as Siyaya, was among the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia and released in Kuno by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2022, marking the reintroduction of the species in India after more than seven decades. This is the third time Jwala has given birth in India. She delivered four cubs in March 2023, though only one survived, and later gave birth to three cubs in January 2024.
Forest officials said that both the mother and the newborn cubs are healthy and active, and are being closely monitored by a team of veterinarians and wildlife experts through CCTV surveillance and regular field monitoring.
Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupendra Yadav also hailed the development, saying the birth of five cubs marks the 10th successful litter of cheetahs on Indian soil. With these new arrivals, the total number of healthy cubs born under Project Cheetah has reached 33.
Wildlife officials described the development as a major step forward for the conservation programme, crediting the success to the continuous efforts of veterinarians, forest staff and field teams working on the ground.
Kuno National Park, which has become the centre of India’s cheetah revival project, has witnessed a series of encouraging developments in recent months. Earlier this year, female cheetah Asha gave birth to five cubs, while Gamini delivered three cubs, further expanding the next generation of cheetahs born on Indian soil.
With the latest births, Kuno National Park now hosts around 50 cheetahs, including adults and cubs, while three cheetahs are currently roaming in the Gandhi Sagar landscape in Mandsaur district.
