Cheetah Aasha gives Birth to five cubs at Kuno, India’s Cheetah count rises to 35

Sheopur: A Namibian cheetah Aasha gave birth to five cubs on February 7, 2026, at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh.

This marks her second litter, following three cubs in January 2024, and is the eighth successful cheetah litter under Project Cheetah, boosting India’s total cheetah population to 35, with 24 surviving Indian-born cubs.

Project Cheetah aims to reintroduce cheetahs to India, extinct there since the 1950s. Aasha arrived in the first batch from Namibia in September 2022; eight more cheetahs from Botswana are slated for late February 2026.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav hailed it as a “moment of immense pride and joy”.

“This joyous achievement stands as a shining testimony to the unwavering dedication, skill, and commitment of the field staff and veterinarians working tirelessly on the ground” he added.

Madhya Pradesh chief Minister Mohan Yadav also celebrated the mileston saying Kuno has witnessed a moment of pure pride as Aasha gives birth to five healthy cubs, strengthening India’s cheetah conservation journey.

“This achievement reflects the tireless dedication of our forest staff and veterinarians. The state is emerging as an epicenter for wildlife conservation” he tweeted.

Forest authorities said both the mother and cubs are healthy and are being closely monitored through regular field surveillance and remote tracking.

The birth underscores the gradual stabilisation of cheetahs in Indian conditions, particularly at Kuno, which remains the focal landscape for the species’ return after their extinction in the country in 1952.