Namibian Cheetah Jwala Gives Birth to Five Cubs at Kuno National Park; India’s Count Reaches 53

Namibian cheetah Jwala delivered five cubs at Kuno National Park on 9 March 2026, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said. The fresh litter raised India’s total cheetah count to 53, strengthening the ongoing reintroduction project at the Madhya Pradesh wildlife reserve.

The latest birth followed closely after another cheetah, Gamini, produced four cubs at the same park. Together, the two litters highlighted steady breeding activity among relocated cheetahs and Indian-born cubs inside Kuno National Park, a key centre for the national cheetah conservation programme.

Project Cheetah progress at Kuno National Park

Announcing the development on X, Mr. Yadav wrote, "A moment of great pride for Project Cheetah as Jwala, the Namibian Cheetah and a successful third-time mother, gave birth to five cubs today at the Kuno National Park. With this birth, the number of Indian-born thriving cubs has risen to 33, marking the 10th successful cheetah litter on Indian soil—another important milestone in India's cheetah conservation journey."

The Minister’s post added that the success reflected the skill and constant work of veterinarians and ground teams involved in Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. Mr. Yadav later described it as "A historic and heart-warming moment for wildlife conservation. May Jwala and her cubs grow strong and race ahead, carrying India's cheetah story to even greater heights," on X.

According to the Environment Minister, the arrival of Jwala’s five cubs took India’s cheetah population to 53, with 33 thriving cubs born in the country. The births at Kuno National Park were recorded on 9 March 2026 at around 2.07 p.m. IST, alongside an official photograph shared from X/@byadavbjp.