Four years of Project Cheetah: Population rises to 52, 32 cubs born

Four years into its reintroduction programme, India's cheetah population has risen to 52, including 32 cubs born in the country. Kuno National Park hosts 49 cheetahs, while three are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, marking a success for the project.

India’s cheetah population has increased to 52, including 32 cheetahs born in the country, with 49 currently in Kuno National Park and three in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, according to the four-year status review of the cheetah reintroduction programme. The “Four Years of Cheetahs in India – A Status Review (September 17, 2022 – September 17, 2026)” released by Kuno National Park stated that the current population includes surviving cheetahs and their offspring from Namibia and South Africa, along with newly introduced cheetahs from Botswana.

Cheetah Population by Origin

According to the review, "Out of the eight Namibian cheetahs introduced on September 17, 2022, three are surviving along with 22 Indian-born offspring, taking the total surviving Namibian-origin population and progeny to 25."

Of the 12 South African cheetahs introduced on February 18, 2023, eight are surviving along with 10 Indian-born offspring, taking the total South African-origin population and progeny to 18. Of these, 15 cheetahs are in Kuno National Park and three are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. Nine cheetahs from Botswana were introduced on February 28, 2026.

Status of Cheetahs in Kuno

The review stated, "Out of the 49 cheetahs in Kuno National Park, 17 cheetahs, including 10 males and seven females, are in the wild, while 32 cheetahs, including five males, eight females and 19 cubs below one year of age, are inside Soft Release Bomas."

Four-Year Journey and Progress

Highlighting the progress of the programme, Kuno National Park said, "Four years on, the establishment of breeding females and survival of second-generation cubs marks an important consolidation phase in India’s cheetah reintroduction programme."

The review also highlighted the journey of the programme over four years, stating that the first year was a phase of learning, adaptation, setbacks and recovery, while the second year brought success with breeding and the survival of 13 cubs for more than a year. During the third year, cheetahs were released into the wild and monitored round-the-clock across the inter-state landscape covering 12 districts, where they successfully navigated and survived. The fourth year has been described as a phase of establishment, with cheetahs displaying natural ecological behaviour and the programme moving towards expansion to more sites.

Kuno National Park said the reintroduction programme has now moved beyond only protecting the introduced cheetahs and is focused on ensuring that India-born generations survive and establish themselves in the wild. (ANI)

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