Bhopal, Feb 18 (IANS) The cheetah population at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district has received a fresh boost, with South African female cheetah Gamini giving birth to three cubs on Wednesday.

The new litter marks the ninth successful cheetah birth on Indian soil since the launch of Project Cheetah on September 17, 2022. With the latest additions, India’s total cheetah population has risen to 38, including 27 Indian-born cubs.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared the news on social media, calling Madhya Pradesh a “powerful hub for cheetah reintroduction.”

“It is a matter of great joy that Gamini, a female cheetah imported from South Africa under Project Cheetah, has given birth to three cubs. This is the ninth successful birth since the cheetahs arrived in Kuno National Park,” he wrote on X.

Describing the development as historic, the Chief Minister said the achievement strengthens India’s efforts towards wildlife conservation, biodiversity protection, and ecological balance.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav called the birth of cheetahs a powerful symbol of India’s determined conservation mission.

“A moment of pride for Kuno, and for India — may Gamini and her three little sprinters grow strong and carry the nation’s cheetah revival story forward with speed and grace,” he wrote on X.

He added that each successful birth reinforces the foundation of Project Cheetah and reflects the round-the-clock dedication of field staff and veterinary teams working at KNP.

Gamini was translocated from South Africa as part of the ambitious reintroduction programme aimed at restoring the population of the world’s fastest land animal in India. Earlier this month, Aasha, a cheetah brought from Namibia, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno Park.

The latest development comes just weeks before a third batch of eight cheetahs from Botswana is scheduled to arrive in Madhya Pradesh on February 28, further strengthening the country’s cheetah conservation initiative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dedicated the project Cheetah to the nation a few years ago. It continues to draw global attention as a bold experiment in ecological restoration. With each new birth, Kuno National Park solidifies its role as a beacon of hope for the world’s fastest land animal, blending scientific rigor with national pride in reviving a lost legacy of India’s wilderness.

–IANS

pd/skp