Bhopal | Cheetah Nirva has given birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said.

With the new litter, the number of cheetahs and cubs will increase to 29 at KNP in Sheopur district. Earlier this month, two cheetahs from the protected forest were shifted to the Gandhi Sagar sanctuary.

The total number of cheetahs, including cubs, in the country now stands at 31.

In a post on X on Sunday night, Yadav said, “It is a great pleasure that the population of cheetahs at Kuno National Park is constantly growing. Recently, five-year-old Nirva has given birth to five cubs. The arrival of these little cubs is a symbol of the success of the Cheetah Project and the rich biodiversity of India.” Yadav said that the favourable environment created for wildlife conservation under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is prospering.

Hearty congratulations to the entire team of Kuno National Park, wildlife experts and every hard-working partner engaged in conservation for this historic achievement, Yadav stated.

On April 20, two South African cheetahs, Prabhash and Pavak, who were translocated to Kuno more than two years ago, were released into the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, which spans Neemuch and Mandsaur districts.

Eight Namibian cheetahs, five females and three males, were released into Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022, marking the first-ever intercontinental translocation of these big cats.

Twelve more cheetahs were brought from South Africa to Kuno in February 2023. Before the birth of these five cubs, the park was home to 24 cheetahs, including 14 India-born cubs. Two of these big cats have now been relocated to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.