India’s cheetah population has risen to 38 after two separate litters were born this month at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, marking a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing wildlife restoration programme.
On February 18, 2026, state authorities confirmed that Gamini, a cheetah translocated from South Africa, gave birth to three cubs inside the park. Earlier, on February 7, Aasha, a Namibian cheetah, delivered five cubs. With these births, the number of Indian-born surviving cubs has reached 24 — a key indicator of successful adaptation.
A MAJOR BOOST TO PROJECT CHEETAH
Kuno National Park, spread across nearly 74,200 hectares in the Sheopur and Shivpuri districts, is the focal point of India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction initiative. The species had been declared extinct in the country in 1952.
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Cheetahs were translocated from Namibia and South Africa under Project Cheetah, aimed at restoring the species to suitable grassland ecosystems and rebuilding a lost ecological balance.
The initial phase of the programme faced challenges, including health setbacks and adaptation concerns. However, the steady rise in population and increasing number of Indian-born cubs suggest improving survival rates and habitat adjustment.
Kuno’s landscape — characterised by open grasslands, dry deciduous forests, and riverine stretches shaped by the Kuno River — offers conditions conducive to cheetah movement and breeding.
For conservation authorities, the latest births represent more than an increase in numbers. After over seven decades without a single wild cheetah, the growing population signals tangible progress in one of India’s most closely watched wildlife experiments.
With 38 cheetahs now in the country, Project Cheetah appears to be entering a more stable and hopeful phase.
