**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 celebrate her 30-month birthday this Monday. She is one of the remarkable cheetahs born as part of Project Cheetah, an ambitious reintroduction initiative spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project aims to bring African cheetahs back to Indian habitats, following their extinction in the country in 1952.
### Project Cheetah: An Overview
Under Project Cheetah, India has so far welcomed 20 big cats. The first batch included eight Namibian cheetahs, released into Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022. This was followed by the introduction of 12 South African cheetahs in February 2023. Despite facing challenges—including the unfortunate deaths of nine imported adult cheetahs and 10 cubs born in India due to various causes—the project has achieved a net population gain of seven cheetahs over the last three years.
### Encouraging Population Growth
Currently, India is home to 27 cheetahs, with 16 of them born within the country. Most of these cheetahs reside at Kuno National Park, while three are housed at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. Impressively, Kuno boasts a cub survival rate of over 61%, which significantly surpasses the global average of 40%.
Project officials have hailed this as a “big success,” pointing to the successful breeding of cheetahs as a clear sign that these animals are adapting well to Indian conditions.
### Looking Ahead: More Cheetahs on the Way
India is actively engaged in talks with African nations to welcome more cheetahs soon. A new group of cheetahs from Botswana is expected to arrive by December. Additionally, Namibia remains a potential source for future batches.
Having overcome the initial hurdles of transcontinental transfer, Project Cheetah continues its mission to boost India’s cheetah population by expanding and strengthening this remarkable conservation effort.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/first-india-born-cheetah-set-to-reach-adulthood-in-kuno/story