Sheopur – In a significant boost to Project Cheetah, Namibian female cheetah Aasha has given birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district.
This is the second time in two years that Aasha has delivered cubs, highlighting the progress of India’s cheetah reintroduction initiative.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared the news on social media platform X, describing it as a proud moment for both the state and the nation. He stated that with the new births, the number of cheetah cubs born in India has increased to 24, taking the total cheetah population in the country to 35. He also praised the dedicated efforts of forest personnel and veterinarians, adding that Madhya Pradesh is steadily emerging as a key centre for wildlife conservation.
Aasha was among the first group of cheetahs brought to India from Namibia in September 2022. She had earlier given birth to three cubs on January 3, 2024.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav also welcomed the development, calling it a proud and joyful moment for Project Cheetah. He described the birth as the eighth successful cheetah litter in India and credited the achievement to the expertise and commitment of field staff and veterinary teams involved in the project.
He expressed hope that Aasha and her cubs would continue to thrive and strengthen India’s conservation success story.
The development comes ahead of the arrival of a third batch of cheetahs under Project Cheetah. Eight cheetahs from Botswana are scheduled to arrive in Madhya Pradesh on February 28.
Under the initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia into Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022. This was followed by the relocation of 12 cheetahs from South Africa in February 2023.
With inputs from IANS