New Delhi: Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav announced on Sunday (March 10) that five cheetah cubs have been born to Gamini, who was brought from South Africa, in the Kuno National Park. On March 18, he clarified that it was in fact six, not five, that had been born.
“This takes the tally of the Indian born cubs to 13. This is the fourth cheetah litter on Indian soil and the first litter of cheetahs brought from South Africa,” Yadav said on X.
High Five, Kuno!
AdvertisementFemale cheetah Gamini, age about 5 years, brought from Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa, has given birth to 5 cubs today.
This takes the tally of the Indian born cubs to 13. This is the fourth cheetah litter on Indian soil and the first litter of… pic.twitter.com/2II0QIc7LY
Advertisement— Bhupender Yadav (मोदी का परिवार) (@byadavbjp) March 10, 2024
Gamini’s legacy leaps forward!
There is no end to joy: It is not five, but six cubs!
AdvertisementA week after the news of five cubs born to Gamini, it is now confirmed that Gamini, the South African cheetah mother, has given birth to six cubs, a record of sorts for a first-time mother.… pic.twitter.com/03ocLegBu0
— Bhupender Yadav (मोदी का परिवार) (@byadavbjp) March 18, 2024
The total number of cheetahs, including cubs, in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park is now 27.
Two of the previous litters in Kuno National Park were born to Jwala, brought from Namibia, and one litter born to Aasha.
Jwala gave birth to her first litter – of four – in March last year. But subsequently, three of the four cubs died, two of them due to heat stress and dehydration. The sole remaining cub from Jwala’s first litter is currently being hand-raised in Kuno. This cub, according to an RTI activist, suffered a foot fracture which the authorities treated in secret.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project, ‘Project Cheetah’ has been controversial in the last few years, with several international experts who were originally a part of the project saying they have been dropped by the Indian authorities and not kept in the loop. Seven adult cheetahs who were brought from Africa have died in Kuno National Park.
Note: This article was updated on March 18 with information that six, not five, cubs were born.
