Bhopal: A cheetah in the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday gave birth to five cubs
With this, the number of cheetahs in the park has increased to 26.
This was disclosed by Union minister for forest, environment and climate change Bhupender Yadav while taking to social media platform X.
“High Five, Kuno! Female cheetah Gamini, aged about five years, brought from Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa, has given birth to 5 cubs today”, the X post by the Union minister read.
The number of cheetah cubs born in India now stands at 13, he added.
This is the fourth cheetah litter on Indian soil and the first litter of cheetahs brought from South Africa, Mr Yadav said.
In March last year, female cheetah Jwala, brought from Namibia, had given birth to four cubs in Kuno. Of them, only one survived.
Jwala gave birth to her second litter of four cubs in January this year. Another Namibian female cheetah, Aasha, gave birth to three cubs in Kuno in the same month.
“Congratulations to all, especially the team of forest officers, vets and field staff who have ensured a stress-free environment for cheetahs which has led to successful mating and birth of cubs. The total number of cheetahs, including cubs in Kuno National Park, is 26”, the Union minister said.
Twenty cheetahs- 8 from Namibia and 12 from South Africa- were brought to Kuno National Park under cheetah introduction project of India. Ten cheetahs including three cubs have died due to various reasons.
