In a first, Indian-born cheetah Mukhi gives birth to five cubs

21 NOVEMBER 2025

In a first since the Cheetah Reintroduction Project in the country, an Indian-born cheetah has given birth to five cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Mukhi, the first Indian-born female cheetah at 33 months of age, has now become the first India-born cheetah to reproduce, making it a landmark achievement for Project Cheetah.”
The new litter has taken the country’s cheetah population to 32, including 21 Indian-born ones now. Of the 32, 29 are at Kuno, while three have been relocated to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Mukhi was born on March 29, 2023, to Namibian cheetah Jwala, but soon after birth, the cub was abandoned by the mother.
“When reunification with her mother, Jwala, was attempted, she was not accepted. From that moment on, she was raised by the Kuno National Park management team with utmost care, always ensuring that she did not develop human imprinting,” Mr. Sharma said.