Bhopal: Namibian cheetah, which was translocated to Madhya Pradesh, gave birth to three cubs at Kuno National Park (KNP), union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav said on Wednesday.
Asha gave birth to cubs in the big predator free enclosure seven days ago (HT Photo)
The Namibian cheetah, Asha, was seen with three cubs on Wednesday at the park.
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“The cubs are healthy. Asha gave birth to cubs in the big predator-free enclosure seven days ago. We are happy that the population of cheetahs is increasing naturally,” said Uttam Kumar Sharma, field director, KNP.
Asha is one of the cheetahs who explored over 300 km of forest area near Kuno National Park after being released in the wild last year.
Earlier in March 2023, four cubs were born to Namibian cheetah Siyaya. However, three died of dehydration in June 2023.
As many as 20 cheetahs were translocated from Namibia and South Africa in September 2022 and February 2023, respectively.
After the death of six cheetahs due to skin infection, the cheetahs were shifted to an enclosure during monsoon. Recently, three cheetahs have been released in the wild.
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.
