BHOPAL: An Indian-born cheetah in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP) became the first one to give birth to four cubs for the second time in less than six months.
More than 30 months old, KGP12, the daughter of South African female Gamini, gave birth to four cubs inside a secured enclosure at KNP.
“A truly historic and joyous moment for Project Cheetah! A day after India's Cheetah Project completed four years, KGP12, an Indian-born female cheetah, has given birth to four cubs in Kuno," Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav wrote on social media platform X.
"Four years, four new lives, a beautiful symbol of hope, resilience and the growing success of cheetah conservation in India. Heartiest congratulations to the entire Kuno and Project Cheetah family,” Yadav wrote.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav also shared the visuals on X. “A historic milestone for Project Cheetah! The very next day after Project Cheetah completed four years in MP, Kuno National Park brought us wonderful news ...The arrival of these little guests marks a beautiful milestone in India’s ongoing cheetah conservation journey."
"With Kuno’s growing cheetah population strengthening wildlife tourism, local livelihoods and ecosystem conservation, heartfelt congratulations to the entire Kuno and Project Cheetah family!”, MP CM wrote.
Earlier, Mukhi, the 33-month-old female cub of Namibian cheetah Siyaya, was the first Indian-born cheetah under Project Cheetah to give birth. She delivered five cubs in a secured enclosure at KNP in November 2025.
KGP12, the Indian-born daughter of South African female Gamini, was 25 months old when she gave birth to four cubs in the wild at KNP in April 2026. It was the first reported birth of cubs in the wild to a cheetah under Project Cheetah at KNP.
However, all four cubs from KGP12’s first litter were attacked and killed by a leopard in the KNP wild a month later, in May 2026.
With the four new cubs, India’s total cheetah population has grown to 56. Of these, 53 are in Kuno National Park and three are in Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. A total of 36 cheetahs are Indian-born.
Of the eight Namibian cheetahs introduced on September 17, 2022, three are surviving along with 22 Indian-born offspring. This brings the total surviving Namibian-origin population and progeny to 25.
Of the 12 South African cheetahs introduced on February 18, 2023, eight are surviving along with 10 Indian-born offspring. This brings the total surviving South African-origin population and progeny to 18. Of these, 15 are in KNP and three are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
Nine cheetahs from Botswana were introduced on February 28, 2026.
In the fourth year of the Cheetah Re-introduction Project, the cheetahs have started behaving according to their natural ecology and are expanding their territory to more sites in Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Rajasthan.
The birth of four cubs to Indian-born female KGP12 is particularly significant as the wildlife establishment under Project Cheetah is now focusing on increasing the cheetah population through a diverse genetic pool.
This is important because cubs born to parents from the same genetic line, whether South African, Namibian or Botswanan, could be more genetically fragile and vulnerable to illnesses.