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

Updated on: Apr 12, 2026, 06:49:58 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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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.

Also Read: 1st Indian-born female cheetah gives birth to five cubs in Kuno: Bhupender Yadav

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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