Mukhi, India's 1st wild-born cheetah, turns 30 months old tomorrow
What's the story
Mukhi, a female cheetah born at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, India, will turn 30 months old on Monday. She is one of the cheetahs born in the wild as part of Project Cheetah, a reintroduction initiative involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project aims to reintroduce African cheetahs into Indian habitats after their extinction in 1952.
Project update
Project Cheetah: 20 big cats brought to India so far
Under Project Cheetah, eight Namibian cheetahs were first released into KNP on September 17, 2022. This was followed by the introduction of 12 South African cheetahs in February 2023. Despite some setbacks, including the death of nine imported adults and 10 cubs born in India due to various causes, the project has seen a net gain of seven cheetahs over three years.
Population growth
Over 60% cub survival rate in KNP
Currently, India is home to 27 cheetahs, including 16 born in the country. Most of them are housed at KNP, with three at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. The overall cub survival rate in Kuno is over 61%, significantly higher than the global average of 40%. Project officials have called it a "big success," citing successful breeding as evidence of adaptation to Indian conditions.
Future prospects
More cheetahs to arrive from Africa soon
India is in talks with African nations for more cheetah imports, with a group from Botswana likely to arrive by December. Namibia is also being considered as a potential source for future batches. Project Cheetah has successfully navigated the initial challenges of transcontinental transfer and continues to work toward increasing the cheetah population in India.