Cheetah Gamini gives birth to five cubs in Kuno National Park, minister shares video | Watch

A cheetah brought to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park from South Africa gave birth to five cubs on Sunday, taking the total tally of the big cats in the country to 26.

The mother cheetah Gamini is five years old and was brought from Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in South Africa. Confirming the birth of the cheetah cubs Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav said that it was the fourth cheetah litter to be born in India after the animals were brought from Namibia and South Africa. 

A brief video of the cubs shared by the minister showed them asleep in what seems to be a bush.

Revealing images of the cuns before the world, Yadav jotted on X (formerly Twitter): High Five, Kuno! Female cheetah Gamini, age about 5 years, brought from Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa, has given birth to 5 cubs today.  This takes the tally of the Indian born cubs to 13. This is the fourth cheetah litter on Indian soil and the first litter of cheetahs brought from South Africa.  Congratulations to all, especially the team of forest officers, vets, and field staff who have ensured a stress-free environment for cheetahs, which has led to successful mating and birth of the cubs. The total number of cheetahs, including cubs in Kuno National Park, is 26. Gamini's legacy leaps forward: Introducing her adorable cubs!"

Under the ambitious cheetah reintroduction project, eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17, 2022. In February 2023, another 12 cheetahs were brought to the park from South Africa. Gamini is part of the group brought from South Africa.

Namibian cheetahs Jwala and Aasha had given birth to cubs earlier this year. While Jwala had four kids, Aasha's litter was three in strength, reports said.