Kuno cheetah population reaches 38 after Gamini births three cubs

Three cheetah cubs born to South African female Gamini at Kuno National Park on February 18, 2026 raised India's cheetah count to 38 under Project Cheetah. The milestone strengthens India's species-restoration credentials under global conservation frameworks and supports biodiversity-linked policy and eco-tourism objectives.

Three cheetah cubs were born at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on February 18, 2026, raising India's cheetah count to 38 under Project Cheetah, the government-led reintroduction initiative. The cheetah was declared extinct in the wild in India in 1952. Project Cheetah, formally initiated in September 2022, translocated eight African cheetahs in 2022 and 12 more in early 2023 from Namibia and South Africa. The latest litter is Gamini's second on Indian soil and the ninth successful birth since the programme began.

The programme is managed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and allied conservation bodies, with Kuno National Park selected for prey density, reduced human pressures, and scientific management. To date, 27 Indian-born cubs have survived. Stakeholders continue addressing genetic diversity, inter-state coordination for habitat corridors, and human-wildlife interactions. Planned arrivals of additional cheetahs from other African sources aim to diversify the gene pool and minimise bottleneck risks in future generations.

Conservation stakeholders should monitor habitat-suitability assessments, long-term monitoring, and adaptive-management practices that underpin the population's continued adaptation, alongside planned translocations to sustain genetic diversity. The growing Kuno population offers a replicable model for other endangered-species initiatives and benchmarks contributing to environmental-sustainability goals. Project Cheetah aligns with India's commitments under global conservation frameworks and national policy, strengthening eco-tourism potential and informing biodiversity-policy and conservation-compliance standards.

Key figure — Population count: 38 cheetahs in India after February 18, 2026 births