Cheetah Gamini and her four cubs released into Kuno National Park

Female cheetah Gamini and her four cubs were released into the open forest at Kuno National Park (KNP) on Monday. This release increases the number of cheetahs in the wild at KNP to 17, while nine remain in enclosures. The cubs—two males and two females, aged 12 months—were released with their mother in the Khajuri forest area of the park’s Ahera tourism zone.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Uttam Kumar Sharma stated that the cheetahs are healthy and adapting well to their natural habitat. Their presence in the tourism zone is expected to offer visitors a rare opportunity to witness the big cats during safaris.

"After the release of Gamini and her cubs, Kuno National Park now has 17 free-roaming cheetahs, including 11 cubs born in India. All are healthy," the official release stated.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared the update on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, expressing optimism that the rising cheetah population will boost tourism and strengthen conservation efforts.

खुले जंगल में फर्राटा भरेगा रफ्तार का राजा...

मध्यप्रदेश पर्यटन के लिए एक और गौरव का क्षण आया है; आज कूनो-पालपुर नेशनल पार्क में मादा चीता गामिनी और उसके चार शावकों को बड़े बाड़े से सफलतापूर्वक कूनो नेशनल पार्क के खुले जंगल खजूरी वन क्षेत्र में रिलीज किया गया है। कूनो के जंगल… pic.twitter.com/q2gseIgyZq

— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) March 17, 2025

The CM tweeted,

"The population of cheetahs will increase in Kuno! In the Khajuri tourism zone of Kuno National Park, female cheetah Gamini from South Africa will be released into the open forest tomorrow along with her two male and two female cubs. Tourists will get an opportunity to see cheetahs in their natural habitat, which will surely increase the number of visitors. The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to taking wildlife conservation and tourism to new heights."

Gamini previously gave birth to six cubs in March 2024, but two didn’t survive. The remaining four are thriving in the wild. This follows the February 21 release of Cheetah Jwala and her four cubs into KNP’s open forest.

The cheetah translocation project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2022, with the release of eight cheetahs from Namibia into Kuno National Park. This marked the first-ever intercontinental translocation of big cats. In February 2023, an additional 12 cheetahs arrived from South Africa.

Currently, Kuno National Park hosts 26 cheetahs, including 14 Indian-born cubs. The project is crucial to India’s efforts to restore the cheetah population, promote biodiversity, and boost eco-tourism.

On February 4, CM Mohan Yadav released two adult cheetahs, Asha and Veera, and Asha’s three newborn cubs into the forest. With each successful release, India’s vision of creating a sustainable cheetah habitat is becoming a reality.

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