12 cheetah cubs born in MP's Kuno park in 2025

12 cheetah cubs born in MP's Kuno park in 2025; three of them died, total animal count at 30

Six cheetahs, including three cubs, died during the year

NEWS 

three-year-old cheetah reintroduction project moved ahead with full steam in 2025, a year which saw the birth of 12 cubs in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) — three of them did not survive — taking the number of the big cats in India to 30, an official said on Wednesday (December 31, 2025).

Three female cheetahs gave birth to the 12 cubs, of which three did not survive due to different reasons.

 Besides, one adult brought from Namibia and two sub-adult cheetahs died during the year, Cheetah Project Field Director Uttam Sharma told 

About Kuno National Park

It is located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.

It is nestled near the Vindhyan Hills.

Originally established as Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in 1981, it was upgraded to a national park in 2018.

The park’s historical significance lies in its role as a relocation site for Asiatic lions under the “Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project,”.

It covers an area of 750 sq.km.

It derives its name --

 from the meandering Kuno River (one of the main tributaries of the Chambal River), which flows from south to north and divides the park into two sections.

The park’s terrain is dotted with plateaus, valleys, and seasonal rivers, creating varied ecosystems.

Vegetation: The park boasts diverse vegetation, including tropical dry deciduous forests, savannah grasslands, and riverine forests.

Flora:  Dominant trees include Khair (Acacia catechu), Salai (Boswellia serrata), and Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana).

Fauna: 

The protected area of the forest is home to the

•  jungle cat, 
• Indian leopard, 
• sloth bear, 
• Indian wolf, 
• striped hyena, 
• golden jackal, 
• Bengal fox, and 
• dhole,
  
  
  along with more than 120 bird species.

It was selected under the ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’.

A total of 20 cheetahs were introduced in Kuno National Park (NP), eight from Namibia in September 2022, followed by 12 more from South Africa in February 2023 under the Cheetah Project.... 

became extinct in India nearly seven decades ago

The world's fastest land animal became extinct in India nearly seven decades ago.

As part of government efforts to revive the species, 

• eight cheetahs were flown into the country from Namibia in September 2022, 
• another batch of 12 from South Africa that were relocated to the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur district in February 2023.

Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary 

Of the total population of the animal, three cheetahs were shifted to the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur district, while 27 are currently housed at the KNP.

Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary

Officials said the cheetahs are now set to get a third home in India — at the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh

At present

 India is home to 30 cursorial animals, including 19 cubs born on Indian soil. 

The country has added 10 animals to its cheetah population over the past three years after importing 20 cheetahs as part of the ambitious reintroduction programme.

 eight more cheetah from Botswana.

The country is set to welcome eight more cheetah from Botswana.

According to the officials, the large predators have already been captured in the African nation and may arrive at the KNP by February.

IUCN status	Vulnerable	Critically Endangered.
2.	CITES status	Appendix-I of the List.	Appendix-I of the List.
3.	Distribution	Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs present in the wild.	40-50 found only in Iran.
4.	Physical Characteristics	Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.	Smaller and paler / LIGHT COLOUR  than the African cheetah.  Has more fur, a smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance.