The cubs have been fathered by wanderer cheetah Pawan aka Oban, who was recently tranquilised & brought back to Kuno after it decided to take a stroll to Rajasthan.
These Indian-born cheetahs were spotted for the first time on December 26, say sources. It’s the second litter since the African cheetahs were translocated to Kuno in September 2022. Four cheetahs were born to Siyaya aka Jwala and ‘rockstar’ Freddie on March 24, 2023. They were the first cheetah cubs to be born in the wild in the country since cheetahs went extinct over seven decades ago. Unfortunately, three of them died in the heat of the Indian summer but one survived.
“Asha’s successful delivery marks a significant milestone in the conservation initiative,” said a forest officer, adding that Asha and her newborns are being monitored.
Chief minister Mohan Yadav shared a video and a picture of the three cubs on X and posted: “News of the arrival of three little cheetah cubs at Kuno is extremely joyful. Under the leadership and guidance of PM Modi, Madhya Pradesh has got a new identity as ‘Cheetah State’.”
Union minister Bhupendra Yadav shared the news on social media: “Purrs in the wild! Thrilled to share that Kuno National Park has welcomed three new members. The cubs have been born to Namibian cheetah Asha. This is a roaring success for Project Cheetah, envisioned by PM Modi to restore ecological balance.”
Conservationists are thrilled. Susan Yannetti of The Metapopulation Initiative-Cheetah Metapopulation Project said: “Asha’s cubs will have teams monitoring them and veterinarians nearby, which will boost their chances of survival. We are very excited by the news of this birth. Great news to start 2024.”
“Congrats to the officials overseeing Project Cheetah in India. This is a positive development, but a long and challenging road lies ahead for these cubs. Losses should be anticipated on their journey to becoming ecologically functional. We wish the cheetahs and project staff all the best,” said Vincent van der Merwe, director of The Metapopulation Initiative-Cheetah Metapopulation Project.
