Cheetah Cubs Born in India

The cheetah's return to India is a reversal of a long extinction story. The Asiatic cheetah was officially declared extinct in the country in 1952, a consequence of widespread hunting, habitat loss, and a decline in its prey. The last three documented wild cheetahs in India were shot in 1947 by Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Korea. This reintroduction effort, known as Project Cheetah, was launched on September 17, 2022. It marked the world's first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore, with an initial eight cheetahs arriving from Namibia, followed by another 12 from South Africa in February 2023. The project aims to establish a viable cheetah population in the wild and restore the species' functional role in its historical ecosystem. The mother of the new cubs, Jwala, was among the first group of cheetahs translocated from Namibia. This is her third time giving birth in India, a significant event for the project. Earlier litters have been born to other cheetahs, including one named Gamini. The journey has not been without challenges. The project has faced setbacks, including the deaths of several translocated adults and some of the cubs born in India due to factors like pre-existing health conditions, injuries, and heat. Each birth is therefore a crucial step towards building a self-sustaining population. Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was selected as the reintroduction site after extensive surveys. Its landscape offers suitable habitat and a sufficient prey base for the cheetahs. The park was prepared for the cheetahs' arrival through measures that included the relocation of several villages to create an inviolate space for the predators. Interestingly, the cheetahs brought to India are the Southeast African subspecies, not the original Asiatic cheetah that was native to the country. The Asiatic cheetah now only survives in critically low numbers in Iran, making its use for reintroduction unfeasible.