Indian-born cheetah gives birth to four cubs in wild at MP’s Kuno National Park

This is the first time an Indian-born female cheetah, raised in the wild, has given birth outside an enclosure

Bhopal: A two-year-old Indian born female cheetah gave birth to four cubs in wild at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur, officials said on Saturday.

Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupendra Yadav called it a historic moment. (X)

The young cheetah, born to Gamini, a cheetah translocated from South Africa, was released into the wild a year ago alongside her mother. She roamed with Gamini until September 2025. She has now successfully given birth to four cubs, park’s field director Uttam Sharma said.

Forest officials described the event as a major achievement, noting that the ultimate goal of the intercontinental translocation project was adaptation to the wild, natural breeding, and cub births in free-ranging conditions.

“The cheetahs have already adapted to the wild and roam freely, but mating and cub births in the wild mark a significant milestone. This is the first time an Indian-born female cheetah, raised in the wild, has given birth outside an enclosure. Earlier, Mukhi, the first Indian-born female cheetah, gave birth in captivity, as both she and her cubs were confined to an enclosure,” Sharma said.

Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupendra Yadav called it a historic moment and wrote on X that this marks “a major milestone in India’s cheetah conservation journey”. He added, “This achievement 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.”

Currently, Kuno National Park is home to 31 Indian-born cheetahs out of 43 cubs born in the past three years.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government is developing a third habitat for cheetahs at Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Damoh, in addition to Kuno National Park in Sheopur and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur.