An India-born cheetah has given birth to five healthy cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The birth took place on October 5. With the new cubs, India’s cheetah population has reached 60.

The mother, KJP21, is a 32-month-old female born in India. She is the third Indian-born female cheetah to give birth. She follows Mukhi and KGP12, who had litters earlier. Of the 60 cheetahs in India, 41 were born in the country.

The father is a male cheetah brought from Botswana. The birth marks the beginning of the Botswana lineage in India. It adds a new genetic line to the growing population. This helps keep the gene pool strong.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced the birth on social media. He congratulated the veterinarians, field staff and managers of Project Cheetah. The cheetah was reintroduced to India in 2022 after going extinct in the country in 1952.