Bhopal: In a major breakthrough for India’s cheetah reintroduction programme, the first Indian-born female cheetah has given birth to five cubs at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP), marking a historic milestone in the country’s conservation efforts.

Sharing the historic development on X on Thursday, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav posted visuals of 33-months-old female cheetah Mukhi and her newborn cubs.

“In a delightful breakthrough for India’s cheetah reintroduction initiative, Mukhi — the first Indian-born female cheetah, aged 33 months — has given birth to five cubs. This is the first time in recent history that an Indian-born cheetah has reproduced, making it a landmark achievement for Project Cheetah,” Yadav mentioned in the post.”

“Successful reproduction by an India-born cheetah is a strong indicator of the species’ adaptation, health, and long-term prospects in Indian habitats. The mother and cubs are doing fine. This significant development reinforces optimism about establishing a self-sustaining and genetically diverse cheetah population in India, further advancing the nation’s conservation goals.”

Sharing the visuals, the MP Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, wrote on the same micro-blogging site, “A historic milestone has been achieved in the Kuno National Park. The mother and cubs are doing well. This is an unprecedented breakthrough for India’s cheetah reintroduction initiative.”

Importantly, Mukhi is the lone surviving first-Indian born cub of Namibian cheetah Siyaya. She was born in March 2023 to Siyaya, just two days after the death of another Namibian female, Sasha, due to renal failure, was reported from the KNP -- which had become the first home to African cheetahs in India, following the successful introduction of eight Namibian cheetahs on September 17, 2022.