Bollywood celebrity pregnancies always make headlines, but here’s a different kind of pregnancy news that might make you go ‘aww’ a little more than usual. Indian-born cheetah Mukhi has given birth to five cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The birth of these cubs is said to be a milestone achievement in India’s efforts to restore the cheetah population in the country. Here’s more insight into this paw-dorable news!
Cheetah Mukhi Gave Birth To Five Cubs At Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh
Birth Of Five Cubs Marks A New Milestone For Project Cheetah
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on November 20, 2025, that cheetah Mukhi gave birth to five cubs. He also asserted that the cubs and their mother are in healthy condition.
Mukhi, the mother of the newly born cubs, was herself born at Kuno National Park. She is currently 33 months old and holds the title of being the first Indian-born female cheetah to reproduce in the country. This marks a milestone achievement for India’s Project Cheetah.
A historic milestone has been achieved as Indian-born cheetah Mukhi has given birth to five cubs in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. The mother and cubs are doing well.
This is an unprecedented breakthrough for India’s cheetah reintroduction initiative. Mukhi, the first… pic.twitter.com/uSxZpVqnV4
— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) November 20, 2025
Mukhi is also the sole surviving cheetah cub born in India at Kuno National Park on March 29, 2023. Born to Namibian cheetah Jwala, she survived against extreme odds, including severe summer heat. She also suffered from a serious injury on her right forelimb that required rehabilitation and intense treatment for weeks.
What Is Project Cheetah?
Project Cheetah is India’s flagship project for the conservation of cheetahs in India. The project was launched in September 2022 and is aimed at reintroducing cheetahs to the Indian subcontinent. Despite being native to India, cheetahs went extinct in the mid-20th century, mainly due to excessive hunting and habitat loss.
It is the world’s first intercontinental translocation of large wild carnivores, involving the translocation of cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia to India’s Kuno National Park. The aim of Project Cheetah is to not just reintroduce cheetahs to India but also to establish healthy, breeding populations, restore open forest and savanna ecosystems, and boost conservation efforts.
However, implementation and management of the project haven’t always been easy. Nine imported adult cheetahs and ten cubs lost their lives. However, the survival rate of cubs at Kuno National Park exceeds 61%, far higher than the global average of 40%. The high survival rate reflects the careful management and conservation efforts at Kuno National Park.
At present, India has 34 cheetahs in total, including 10 adults and 24 cubs. The recent birth of Mukhi’s cubs points towards the growing success of Project Cheetah in India. It is a milestone project dedicated to restoring the diverse wildlife heritage of India, especially its apex predators. Endangered species such as cheetahs, which were once extinct in the country, are steadily growing, thanks to Project Cheetah.
India’s First Cheetah Safari: What You Need To Know
Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh opened India’s first cheetah safari on October 1, 2025. This opens up a new, never-before-seen opportunity for Indians to catch a glimpse of cheetahs in their natural habitat. The cheetah safari will be held in the early morning and late afternoon.
Safari prices for the Kuno National Park cheetah safari are as follows:
- Gypsy safari (up to 6 people): INR 4,500 per vehicle
- Private vehicle: INR 1,200 per vehicle
For more in-depth information about the cheetah safari, read our India’s First Cheetah Safari guide.
Summing Up
The birth of Mukhi’s cubs is sure to usher in a new era in the conservation efforts of cheetahs in India. Despite having only 34 cheetahs, India is pioneering cheetah conservation, thanks to a robust Project Cheetah. It will be worth noting how Mukhi and her cubs adapt to their environment at Kuno National Park. With India being at the forefront of a global climate crisis, including rising temperatures and poor air quality, the survival of these cheetahs is an important indicator of how wildlife can endure in India. Their journey marks not just a milestone for conservationists but also a hopeful reminder of what collective efforts can achieve.
