**Mukhi, India’s First Wild-Born Cheetah, Turns 30 Months Old Tomorrow**
*By Snehil Singh | September 28, 2025, 05:30 PM*
Mukhi, a female cheetah born in the wild at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, India, will turn 30 months old this Monday. She is one of the first wild-born cheetahs as part of Project Cheetah, a landmark reintroduction initiative championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project aims to bring African cheetahs back to Indian habitats after they became extinct in the country in 1952.
### Project Cheetah: A Bold Conservation Effort
Under Project Cheetah, India has so far introduced 20 big cats from Africa. The journey began with the release of eight Namibian cheetahs into Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022. This was followed by the arrival of 12 South African cheetahs in February 2023.
While the project has faced challenges — including the unfortunate deaths of nine imported adult cheetahs and 10 cubs born in India due to various causes — it has still recorded a net gain of seven cheetahs over the span of three years.
### Encouraging Population Growth
Currently, India is home to 27 cheetahs, 16 of which were born within the country. The majority reside at Kuno National Park, while three are housed at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
The survival rate of cubs in Kuno stands at over 61%, a figure notably higher than the global average of 40%. Project officials have hailed this as a “big success,” emphasizing that the successful breeding is a clear indicator of the cheetahs’ adaptation to Indian conditions.
### Looking Ahead: More Cheetahs on the Way
India is actively engaged in talks with African nations to bring in more cheetahs to support population growth. A group from Botswana is expected to arrive by December, with Namibia also being considered for future imports.
Project Cheetah has successfully navigated the complexities of transcontinental animal transfer and continues to work diligently towards increasing the wild cheetah population in India, marking a promising chapter for wildlife conservation in the country.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/first-india-born-cheetah-set-to-reach-adulthood-in-kuno/story