First India-born Cheetah gives birth to 5 cubs

Mukhi, the first Indian-born cheetah that became the face of ‘Project Cheetah’, gave birth to five cubs in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, thereby giving a boost to India’s Cheetah reintroduction initiative.

Mukhi was born on March 29, 2023, in Kuno National Park to Jwala and Shaurya, two cheetahs brought from Namibia the previous year.

Mukhi was abandoned by her mother and was found in a dehydrated state. Being the lone survivor among the three siblings, Mukhi was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) facility established in Kuno for treating cheetahs. She grew in an enclosure and learnt to survive in isolation.

Announcing the development in a post on X, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said this was the first instance in recent history of an Indian-born cheetah successfully reproducing. “Mukhi, the first Indian-born female Cheetah aged 33 months, has given birth to five cubs, marking a landmark moment for India’s cheetah reintroduction initiative. This significant development reinforces optimism about establishing a self-sustaining and genetically diverse cheetah population in India,” the minister said, adding that the mother and cubs were doing well.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the successful reproduction of an India-born cheetah was a strong indicator of the species’ adaptation, health and long-term prospects in Indian habitats. “This significant step forward strengthens optimism about establishing a self-sustaining and genetically diverse cheetah population in India, further advancing the nation’s conservation goals,” he said.

Currently, India has 34 cheetahs, including 10 adults and 24 cubs. The country awaits another batch of eight cheetahs from Botswana.