Overview

• Nirva, a five-year-old cheetah from South Africa’s Mapesu Reserve, has given birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
• With this new litter, Kuno now houses 29 cheetahs, including 19 cubs and 10 adults, showcasing the park’s thriving cheetah population.
• India’s total wild cheetah population has reached 31, including two males recently relocated to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary for metapopulation expansion.
• The births highlight the success of Project Cheetah, a government-led initiative to reintroduce cheetahs to India after seven decades of local extinction.
• Officials attribute the program’s progress to international collaboration, habitat management, and political support under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.