**Mukhi, India’s First Wild-Born Cheetah, Turns 30 Months Old Tomorrow**
*By Snehil Singh | Sep 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 pioneering cheetahs born as part of Project Cheetah, a landmark initiative aimed at reintroducing African cheetahs into Indian habitats after their extinction in 1952. This ambitious project has the backing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and marks a significant milestone in wildlife conservation in India.
**Project Cheetah: Restoring the Fastest Land Animal in India**
Project Cheetah began with the release of eight Namibian cheetahs into Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022. Following this, twelve South African cheetahs were introduced in February 2023. Despite facing challenges—including the unfortunate deaths of nine imported adults and ten cubs born in India—the project has made substantial progress with a net gain of seven cheetahs over the past three years.
**Encouraging Population Growth and Survival Rates**
Presently, India hosts 27 cheetahs, out of which 16 were born on Indian soil. The majority reside in Kuno National Park, while three are at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. Impressively, the overall cub survival rate at Kuno stands at over 61%, which significantly surpasses the global average of 40%.
Officials involved in the project have hailed these results as a “big success,” emphasizing that the successful breeding and adaptation of cheetahs in Indian conditions reflect the project’s positive trajectory.
**Looking Ahead: More Cheetahs to Join the Indian Wilderness**
Building on this momentum, India is actively engaging in talks with African countries to import more cheetahs. A new batch from Botswana is expected to arrive by December, while Namibia remains a key potential source for future arrivals.
Project Cheetah has effectively overcome the initial hurdles associated with transcontinental animal transfer and continues to advance towards establishing a thriving cheetah population in India’s wild landscapes.
—
*Project Cheetah represents a bold step in wildlife conservation, bringing hope for the revival of the cheetah in India after more than seven decades of absence.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/first-india-born-cheetah-set-to-reach-adulthood-in-kuno/story