India to welcome more African cheetahs by December 2025
India is gearing up to welcome 8-10 more African cheetahs by December 2025, as part of its big push to bring these speedy cats back after more than 70 years.
The Cheetah Reintroduction Project—launched in September 2022—has already made history by moving cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to Indian soil.
From 20 to 27 cheetahs
The project kicked off with 20 cheetahs; now there are 27 cheetahs being managed across Indian habitats, including cubs born here.
Impressively, over 61% of the cubs have survived so far—way above the global average.
Adult survival rates are also climbing, which is a good sign for the future.
New homes are being prepared for the big cats
Kuno National Park is almost full, so new homes are being prepped at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary and other spots in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Plus, India is talking with Namibia, Botswana, and Kenya to bring in even more cheetahs every year for at least five years.
The goal: a healthy, self-sustaining wild cheetah population across different landscapes—something that hasn't happened here in generations.