India’s initiative to reintroduce cheetahs achieved a significant accomplishment on Saturday when a female cheetah, born within the country, gave birth to four cubs in the wild at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

This mother cheetah is one of the offspring of a cheetah named Gamini. Having been born at Kuno, she has spent more than a year in the wild, exclusively accustomed to the dry forests of central India. The sex of her four cubs has not yet been revealed, but they are being carefully observed from a distance by a dedicated team of veterinarians and field staff. Currently, there are a total of 57 cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh, which includes at least 21 cubs.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared this development on social media, highlighting it as a pivotal moment in India’s cheetah conservation efforts. He noted that a 25-month-old female cheetah born in India has successfully given birth to four cubs in the wild, marking the first recorded instance of such a birth since the reintroduction program began in 2022. This event is particularly significant as it involves an Indian-born cheetah.

The Minister emphasized that this birth aligns with the overarching goals of the cheetah reintroduction project, which aims for the species’ survival and breeding in natural environments. He remarked that the event signifies the cheetahs’ increasing adaptation to Indian ecosystems and reflects the hard work and commitment of the management, veterinary, and field teams at Kuno, calling it a moment of national pride.

This event follows another notable breeding achievement, where a female cheetah named Mukhi gave birth to five cubs in November 2025, marking her as the first cheetah born in India to reproduce. The birth of cubs by Gamini’s offspring is being interpreted by officials as an indication of a developing trend rather than an isolated incident.

Uttam Kumar Sharma, Field Director of Kuno and Director of Project Cheetah, confirmed that both the mother and her cubs are in good health. He also mentioned that nine cheetahs translocated from Botswana in February have successfully completed their 30-day quarantine and have been transitioned to soft-release enclosures. “All nine Botswana cheetahs are healthy and adapting well to their new surroundings,” Sharma stated, adding that they are under regular observation by experts.

The group from Botswana, consisting of six females and three males, arrived on February 28, marking the third intercontinental transfer of cheetahs to India, following earlier transfers from Namibia in September 2022 and South Africa in February 2023. Currently, there are 54 cheetahs residing in Kuno, with three additional adults having been introduced to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur and Neemuch districts since their relocation last year.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his enthusiasm regarding the birth, linking it to the state’s identity as the nucleus of India’s cheetah revival. “The birth of four cubs in open forests demonstrates that Madhya Pradesh is an ideal habitat for cheetahs’ lineage expansion,” he remarked. “Our commitment to wildlife conservation is yielding results, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Kuno management and veterinary teams.”

Anand Mohan J is an esteemed Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, leading their coverage in Madhya Pradesh. With over eight years of experience, he has become a credible voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.

Based in Bhopal, Anand is well-known for his in-depth reporting on the Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he delivered exclusive coverage of the historic surrender of the remaining Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the negotiations that contributed to the state’s declaration as Maoist-free.

Anand’s investigative journalism is marked by a “Journalism of Courage” philosophy, holding institutions accountable through comprehensive analysis across several critical sectors:

• National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He has documented the decline of Naxalism in Central India, covering the evolving strategies of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered individuals.
• Judiciary & Legal Accountability: With over four years of experience covering trial courts in Delhi and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand clarifies complex legal decisions and has highlighted significant institutional failures, such as custodial safety issues and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
• Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park, offering extensive insights into the challenges of reintroducing Namibian and South African cheetahs, along with notable wildlife trafficking cases.
• Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigations have revealed systemic failings in public health services, including contaminated blood transfusions leading to HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the impact of the fertilizer crisis on rural farmers.

Professional Background:

• Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
• Locations: Transitioned from covering high-pressure issues in Delhi to his current leadership role in Madhya Pradesh.
• Notable Investigations: Exposed scams related to “digital arrests” targeting entrepreneurs and investigated unusual elephant fatalities in Bandhavgarh, as well as the effects of a kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
• Documented: The shift in power dynamics and welfare schemes like “Ladli Behna” within Madhya Pradesh governance.

Digital & Professional Presence:

Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express

Twitter handle: @mohanreports

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