Namibian cheetah Jwala gives birth to five cubs at Kuno; India's cheetah count reaches 53
Jwala, a Namibian cheetah, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, taking India's cheetah population to 53 and Indian-born surviving cubs to 33, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said on 9 March 2026.
Summary
Jwala, a Namibian cheetah at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, has given birth to five cubs, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on 9 March 2026. Jwala is a third-time mother, and this is the 10th successful cheetah litter on Indian soil. The number of Indian-born surviving cubs has risen to 33 and India's total cheetah population to 53. Shortly before this, Gamini, a South African cheetah, gave birth to four cubs for the second time, and on 28 February 2026 the minister released nine cheetahs from Botswana (six females, three males) into quarantine enclosures at Kuno. Project Cheetah began on 17 September 2022, when the Prime Minister released eight cheetahs from Namibia (five females, three males) at Kuno. It is described as the world's first inter-continental translocation of a large wild carnivore; the cheetah had been declared extinct in India in 1952.
Key facts
- Date
- 9 March 2026 (announcement)
- Mother
- Jwala, Namibian cheetah, third litter
- Cubs
- 5; 10th successful litter on Indian soil
- Totals
- Indian-born surviving cubs 33; total cheetahs 53
- Recent
- Gamini (South African) had 4 cubs; 9 Botswana cheetahs released into quarantine on 28 Feb 2026
- Project Cheetah
- Began 17 Sep 2022 with 8 Namibian cheetahs at Kuno
- Extinct in India
- Declared in 1952
Practice MCQs 5 questions
With the birth of five cubs to Jwala announced on 9 March 2026, what is India's total cheetah population?
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Correct answer: C — 53
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said the total cheetah population in India had reached 53 with the arrival of Jwala's five cubs.
Jwala, the cheetah that gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park in March 2026, was originally brought from which country?
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Correct answer: A — Namibia
Jwala is a Namibian cheetah and a third-time mother.
How many Indian-born cheetah cubs were surviving after Jwala's litter, according to the Environment Ministry on 9 March 2026?
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Correct answer: C — 33
The number of Indian-born thriving cubs rose to 33; the litter was the 10th successful one on Indian soil.
On 28 February 2026, nine cheetahs were released into quarantine enclosures at Kuno National Park. From which country were they received?
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Correct answer: D — Botswana
Bhupender Yadav released nine cheetahs (six females and three males) received from Botswana into quarantine enclosures at Kuno on 28 February 2026.
Consider the following statements about Project Cheetah: 1. It began on 17 September 2022 with the release of eight cheetahs from Namibia at Kuno National Park. 2. The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the Prime Minister released eight Namibian cheetahs (five females, three males) at Kuno on 17 September 2022 under Project Cheetah, the world's first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation; the cheetah had been declared extinct in India in 1952.