Indian-born cheetah gives birth to five cubs at Kuno, India's cheetah population rises to 60

Parwinder SandhuNew Delhi, Oct. 5 -- India's cheetah conservation programme reached another significant milestone on Monday with KJP21, a 32-month-old Indian-born female cheetah, giving birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, taking the country's total cheetah population to 60, including 41 Indian-born cheetahs.

The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952, making it the only large carnivore to have disappeared from the country in modern times.

After several decades, India launched Project Cheetah in September 2022 with the translocation of cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park.

The first batch of eight Namibian cheetahs arrived at Kuno in September 2022. In February 2023, another group of 12 cheeta...