India First Native-Born Cheetah Mukhi Gives Birth to Five Cubs

Mukhi, India’s First Native-Born Cheetah, Delivers Five Cubs at Kuno National Park

India’s cheetah conservation initiative has achieved a historic milestone with Mukhi , the first cheetah born in India after reintroduction, giving birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park . This landmark moment signals the successful establishment of a second generation of cheetahs adapting to Indian habitats, strengthening long-term prospects for a self-sustaining population.

First India-Born Cheetah to Reproduce

Mukhi, nearly three years old, is the offspring of a Namibian female brought to India during the first phase of Project Cheetah in September 2022. Her successful reproduction marks the first recorded birth by an India-born cheetah in over 70 years , since the species went extinct in 1952. Wildlife officials report that Mukhi and her cubs are healthy and are being carefully monitored through non-intrusive tracking methods.

Boost to Project Cheetah’s Rewilding Objectives

A core objective of the reintroduction programme is to establish a naturally breeding, genetically diverse cheetah population . Mukhi’s litter demonstrates that relocated cheetahs can not only survive but also produce thriving offspring capable of continuing the lineage. The event reinforces confidence in India’s long-term cheetah recovery strategy.

Conservation experts note that successful breeding by second-generation cheetahs indicates strong habitat suitability at Kuno. Extensive habitat management—prey restoration, predator monitoring, vegetation control and disease management—has helped the animals adjust to India’s climate, prey species and ecological conditions.

Exam-Oriented Facts

• Cheetahs went extinct in India in 1952 .

• First batch of cheetahs arrived from Namibia in September 2022 .

• Mukhi is the first India-born cheetah to deliver cubs.

• Second-generation breeding is a key indicator of long-term population viability.