Kuno: Namibian cheetah Aasha on Saturday gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav announced, describing it as an “immense pride and joy” for Project Cheetah. The number of Indian-born surviving cubs has gone up to 24, and the total cheetah population in the country now stands at 35, he said.
Aasha, who was one of the original cheetahs named by Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon their arrival from Namibia in 2022, has now become a second-time mother. This successful litter marks the eighth successful cheetah birth on Indian soil since the start of the reintroduction program. The arrival of these five cubs is particularly encouraging for the project’s long-term sustainability, as it demonstrates that the translocated animals are adapting well and reproducing consistently in their new habitat.
“A moment of immense pride and joy for Project Cheetah as Aasha, the Namibian cheetah and a proud second-time mother, gave birth to five cubs on 7th February 2026 at Kuno National Park. With this, the tally of Indian-born surviving cubs rises to 24, marking the eighth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil—a significant milestone in India’s cheetah conservation journey, undertaken and nurtured under the environmentally-conscious leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi,” he wrote on X.
Population Update
With the birth of these five cubs, the cheetah population statistics in India have reached new heights:
- Total Cheetah Population: 35
- Indian-born Surviving Cubs: 24
This growth is a testament to the “unwavering dedication and skill” of the veterinarians and field staff at Kuno who monitor the animals around the clock. The current survival rate of cubs born in India has exceeded many early conservationist expectations, providing a “shining testimony” to the scientific planning behind the world’s first inter-continental translocation of a large carnivore.
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