International Cheetah Day: A global call to protect world’s fastest animal

New Delhi:-International Cheetah Day is being celebrated today (December 4) to raise awareness about the declining populations and shrinking habitats of the fastest land mammal on Earth.

The day is dedicated to educating the public about the cheetah’s unique abilities, such as being the fastest land animal, and the threats it faces, like habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.

It encourages people worldwide to get involved in protecting cheetahs through various actions, such as learning more about them, supporting conservation projects, or raising awareness among friends and family.

India has launched Project Cheetah has made steady progress. A total of 20 cheetahs were introduced into Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023.

As of December 2025, India sustains a thriving population of 32 cheetahs, of which 21 are India-born cubs. In a recent milestone, an India-born female Mukhi delivered five healthy cubs in November 2025.

Project Cheetah is a government-led initiative in India launched in 2022 to reintroduce cheetahs into the country, specifically in Kuno National Park, after they were declared extinct in India in 1952.

The project involves translocating cheetahs from Africa, primarily South Africa and Namibia, to establish a viable cheetah population in India. The goal is to restore ecological balance, boost biodiversity, and enhance wildlife tourism and conservation efforts.

As part of the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the species, 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno National Park–eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi term the Project Cheetah was an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and urged wildlife enthusiasts to visit India to see the wild cat in all its splendour.

In a post on X on International Cheetah Day, the prime minister extended best wishes to “all wildlife lovers and conservationists dedicated to protecting the cheetah, one of the planet’s most remarkable creatures.”

“Three years ago, our Government launched Project Cheetah with the aim of safeguarding this magnificent animal and restoring the ecosystem in which it can truly flourish. It was also an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and strengthen our biodiversity,” PM Modi said.

He said India is proud to be home to several cheetahs, and a significant number of them are born on Indian soil. Many of them now thrive in the Kuno National Park and the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.

“It is heartening to see cheetah tourism growing in popularity as well. I encourage more wildlife enthusiasts from across the world to visit India and witness the cheetah in all its splendour,” the prime minister said.

“Our progress in cheetah conservation has been possible only through the collective support of our people, especially our dedicated Cheetah Mitras.

“Protecting wildlife and living in harmony with nature are integral to India’s civilisational ethos and we see that spirit alive today in these efforts,” the prime minister said

History of International Cheetah Day: International Cheetah Day, is celebrated annually on December 4th to raise awareness and promote conservation efforts for cheetahs. It was created by Dr. Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund in 2010 to highlight the cheetah’s struggle against extinction.

The cheetah is one of the most endangered big cats in the world, with a severely fragmented population of around 7,100 individuals in the wild. It has disappeared across roughly 91% of its historic range, surviving largely within fenced-in national parks across Africa and a small population of critically endangered Asiatic cheetahs in Iran.

The species, classified as vulnerable on the latest IUCN Red List assessment, has decreased by an average of 37% over 15 years due to habitat loss and conflict with humans. The population is expected to continue falling.