India’s cheetah reintroduction programme has recorded another milestone at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, where female cheetah Gamini has given birth to a fourth cub, further boosting the country’s growing cheetah population. The birth comes shortly after officials had announced the arrival of three cubs on February 18, with the additional cub later confirmed during intensive monitoring by field teams.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the fourth cub was identified through close surveillance carried out by wildlife staff and veterinarians, who have been continuously tracking the mother and her litter. Authorities confirmed that all four cubs are healthy and developing normally, describing the development as an encouraging sign for the conservation effort.
Gamini, translocated from South Africa and brought to Kuno shortly before the birth announcement, has now successfully delivered cubs for the second time. Officials view the successful litter as an important indicator that the habitat and management systems under Project Cheetah are supporting breeding and adaptation in the wild after the species’ long absence from India.
With the addition of the new cub, India’s total cheetah population has risen to 39, including 28 cubs born in the country since the launch of Project Cheetah. Conservation authorities say each successful birth strengthens the long-term viability of the programme and reflects progress toward establishing a stable, self-sustaining cheetah population in India’s grassland ecosystems.
