Bhopal: India’s cheetah reintroduction mission has achieved a historic breakthrough as Mukhi, the first female cheetah born on Indian soil, has given birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, representing the first-ever reproduction by an Indian-born cheetah in the country.
The 33-month-old Mukhi, born in India to a Namibian female cheetah brought to the country under Project Cheetah, delivered the cubs earlier this week inside Kuno’s protected enclosure. Forest officials have confirmed that both mother and cubs are in good health and are under round-the-clock monitoring by the park’s veterinary and surveillance teams.
“This is a truly historic achievement the first time that an Indian-born cheetah has bred in the wild,” a senior forest department official said. “It demonstrates that the cheetahs are not merely surviving but adapting and flourishing under Indian conditions.”
Wildlife conservation experts have described the successful breeding of a second-generation cheetah as a crucial turning point in establishing a self-sustaining and genetically diverse cheetah population in India. The development validates years of ecological preparation and habitat management efforts under Project Cheetah, which was launched in 2022 to bring back the species after it went extinct in India seven decades ago.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the milestone on social media, sharing that both Mukhi and her cubs are doing well. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav also termed it a landmark achievement for wildlife conservation, reinforcing optimism about India’s conservation goals.