Five Cubs Born at Kuno, Cheetah Population Reaches 60
Indian-born female cheetah KJP21 gives birth to five healthy cubs, marking a major milestone for Project Cheetah
- KJP21 gives birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park.
- India’s cheetah population rises to 60.
- Indian-born cheetahs now number 41.
- Five cubs introduce Botswana lineage to India.
GG News Bureau
Sheopur, 5th Oct: India’s cheetah conservation programme achieved another significant milestone on Monday as KJP21, a 32-month-old Indian-born female cheetah, gave birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park.
The development has taken India’s total cheetah population to 60, including 41 Indian-born cheetahs, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared the development on social media and described the birth as an important milestone in the emergence of the next generation of India’s cheetah population.
KJP21 is the third Indian-born female cheetah to give birth in the country, following Mukhi and KGP12. The latest birth marks another step in the establishment of a self-sustaining cheetah population on Indian soil under Project Cheetah.
The five cubs also mark the beginning of the Botswana lineage in India, as their father is a male cheetah from Botswana. According to the ministry, this introduces a new genetic lineage into India’s growing cheetah population.
Yadav said the birth represents another generation of cheetahs being born in India and adds a new chapter to the country’s cheetah reintroduction programme.
The Union Minister congratulated the veterinarians, field staff, managers and others associated with Project Cheetah, whose sustained efforts and commitment contributed to the development.
The latest births further strengthen the progress of India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme, which seeks to establish a viable cheetah population and support the species’ long-term conservation in the country.
