Renthia Kaimbi
Aasha, a cheetah translocated from Namibia to India under Project Cheetah, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park on 7 February.
This is her second successful litter in India. The birth brings the number of Indian-born surviving cubs to 24 and marks the eighth litter since the project began in 2022.
India’s minister for environment, forest and climate change, Bhupender Yadav, announced the development on social media and described it as “a moment of immense pride and joy.”
“Aasha’s legacy leaps forward… This joyous achievement stands as a shining testimony to the unwavering dedication, skill, and commitment of the field staff and veterinarians working tirelessly on the ground,” Yadav said.
He also credited the success to the environmentally conscious leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi.
With the new litter, India’s cheetah population, including translocated adults and Indian-born cubs, now stands at 35. The animals are monitored by a team of experts at the 748-square-kilometre Kuno Park.
“May Aasha and her cubs thrive, flourish, and sprint India’s cheetah story to even greater success,” Yadav wrote.
Project Cheetah aims to re-establish a cheetah population in India after the species was declared extinct in the country in 1952.
The project faced early challenges after cheetahs were brought in from Namibia and South Africa in September 2022, with several adult deaths reported due to natural causes and seasonal weaknesses.
Despite the setbacks, breeding over the past three years has continued.
In April 2023, four cubs were born to Freddie and Siyaya, two cheetahs from Namibia.
The births came after another Namibian cheetah, Sasha, died of kidney disease in March 2023.
