Kuno welcomes 5 more cubs; total cheetah count now 31
What's the story
In a big boost for the Kuno National Park's cheetah population, a female cheetah called Nirva has given birth to five cubs.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the development on X (formerly Twitter), along with a short video of the newborns.
"It is a matter of great pleasure that the population of cheetahs is continuously increasing in Kuno National Park," CM Mohan said while adding, "Recently, 5-year-old Nirva has given birth to 5 cubs."
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
कूनो में नए मेहमानों का स्वागत है...
— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) April 27, 2025
अत्यंत प्रसन्नता है कि कूनो राष्ट्रीय उद्यान में चीतों का कुनबा निरंतर बढ़ रहा है।
हाल ही में 5 वर्षीय नीरवा ने 5 शावकों को जन्म दिया है। इन नन्हे शावकों का आगमन चीता प्रोजेक्ट की सफलता और भारत की समृद्ध जैव-विविधता का प्रतीक है।
माननीय… pic.twitter.com/TRH33BrLJI
Population growth
Total cheetah count in India reaches 31
With the arrival of these new cubs, Kuno National Park now has 29 cheetahs and cubs. This takes India's total count of cheetahs and cubs to an impressive 31.
CM Yadav hailed the newborns as a "symbol of the success of the Cheetah Project and the rich biodiversity of India."
He also congratulated Kuno's team for their conservation efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Conservation efforts
Kuno National Park plays pivotal role in cheetah reintroduction
Kuno National Park has played a key role in India's ambitious cheetah reintroduction program.
The park initially received eight from Namibia in September 2022, in the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the species.
Another 12 were received from South Africa in February 2023.
Earlier this month, two South African cheetahs were moved from KNP to the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary across Neemuch and Mandsaur districts.
Criticism
Detractors of Project Cheetah
According to a paper titled Delineating the environmental justice implications of an experimental cheetah introduction project in India, the translocation of cheetahs has not taken into account the animal's physical, physiological, and mental health.
Other voices from both experts and human rights activists have claimed that it potentially exacerbates the social and economic inequalities among local communities, particularly those residing near Kuno National Park.