Cheetah ‘Gamini’ has given birth to three cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, taking India’s total cheetah population to 38, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Wednesday.

Gamini, translocated from South Africa under the ambitious Project Cheetah launched in September 2022, delivered the cubs as the country marked three years since the arrival of the first batch of African cheetahs. The project aims to revive the population of the world’s fastest land animal in India, where it had gone extinct decades ago.

In a post on X, Yadav wrote, “Kuno welcomes three new cubs - A roaring new chapter at Kuno on the occasion of completion of 3 years of arrival of cheetahs from South Africa. Celebrations echo through Kuno National Park as Gamini, the South African cheetah and second-time mother, has brought 3 new cubs into the world."

He said the development marks the ninth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil and raises the number of surviving Indian-born cubs to 27.

“With these newest additions, India's total cheetah population has now reached 38 - a powerful symbol of the country's determined and historic conservation effort,” Yadav highlighted.

Emphasising the significance of the milestone, he said each birth reinforces the foundation of Project Cheetah and reflects the sustained efforts of ground teams. “A moment of pride for Kuno, and for India—may Gamini and her three little sprinters grow strong and carry the nation’s cheetah revival story forward with speed and grace,” the minister added.

said the state has emerged as a key centre for cheetah reintroduction and conservation.

“This is a historic achievement for the entire country in the direction of wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and environmental balance,” he said in a post on X.

“It is a matter of immense joy that under Project Cheetah, the female cheetah ‘Gamini’ who arrived from South Africa has given birth to three cubs,” he said.

“With the completion of three years of cheetahs’ arrival at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, this is the 9th successful birth (of a litter). The total number of cheetahs in India has now increased to 38,” Yadav added.

Earlier this month, cheetah Aasha, brought from Namibia in the first phase of the reintroduction programme, also gave birth to five cubs at Kuno, further strengthening India’s growing cheetah population.