The cheetah importation project in India was hampered by a string of fatalities, but on January 3, 2023, officials in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP) reported the birth of three cubs. At KNP, a second litter has been born. The birth of the cubs was reported by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav in a tweet on X (previously Twitter): I am happy to announce that three new members have joined Kuno National Park. The cubs are the offspring of Aasha, the Namibian cheetah.
In March 2023, three-year-old Siyaya, who was also imported from Namibia, gave birth to her first litter under the new name Jwala. Three of the female cubs perished from weakness and dehydration, leaving only one alive. Jwala was never allowed to roam free. There were three males, seven females, and one cub in KNP as of right now. The number currently stands at 18, after the cubs were added. The KNP’s chief conservator of forests (CCF), Uttam Sharma, said, “Three cubs are approximately 6 to 8 days old, and they were probably born around December 26.” Veterinarians are keeping an eye on them all, and they are all doing well.
The CCF estimated that it would take six months to determine the genders of the cubs. Sharma said that more information about the cub’s parents will be provided later. The book The End of a Trail states: In India, cheetahs mature to breed between 20 and 24 months of age, and their gestation period is 90 to 100 days. The cubs most likely underwent breeding in captivity during their time within the enclosure in July and August after adult cheetahs died from septicemia.
On the other hand, the surviving cub from last year is still in captivity and has been raised by hand, according to an expert who spoke on condition of anonymity. What we are celebrating, I do not know. Captive breeding is what this is. The expert stated that the goal of importing cheetahs from Africa was to create a population that could roam freely, but we aren’t doing anything to make that happen. An annual report from 2023 states that Asha was taken into quarantine on July 20, 2023. She has been left free-ranging for a total of 131 days.
In the latter part of December 2023, Agni, Vayu, Veera, and Pavan were released into the park by the forest department. However, after wandering deep into Rajasthan’s borders, Agni was quickly tranquilized and brought back. Congratulations to the local authorities in charge of Project Cheetah in India. Although this is a good start, these cubs still have a long and difficult path ahead of them. It is important to expect crew and the Cheetahs, according to Down to Earth, a South African expert participating in the project’s early phases in “Vincent van der Merwe.”.
