Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Monday announced that Jwala, a Namibian cheetah and a successful mother for the third time, has given birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park.
In a post on social media platform X, the minister said the birth of the new litter has raised the number of Indian‑born cheetah cubs to 33. This marks the 10th successful cheetah litter on Indian soil, a major milestone in India’s ongoing cheetah conservation programme.
Yadav described the development as a moment of immense pride for Project Cheetah, crediting the achievement to the sustained efforts, expertise and commitment of veterinarians, frontline forest staff and all those working tirelessly on the ground. With the arrival of Jwala’s cubs, the total cheetah population in India has now reached 53, he added.
Calling it a historic and heart‑warming moment for wildlife conservation, the Minister expressed hope that Jwala and her cubs would grow strong and “race ahead,” taking India’s cheetah reintroduction story to greater heights.
This follows recent good news from Kuno, where Gamini, a South African cheetah, delivered her second litter—four cubs—earlier this year.
On February 28, 2026, Yadav had also released nine cheetahs—six females and three males—brought from Botswana into quarantine enclosures at Kuno National Park. These cheetahs are currently undergoing acclimatisation and health monitoring before their phased release into the larger landscape.
