Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 4 : Female cheetah Veera has given birth to two cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on Tuesday.
Sharing the news on social media, Yadav expressed joy over the growing cheetah population in the state, describing it as a testament to successful conservation efforts.
"I am very happy to share this information that the number of cheetahs is constantly increasing in Madhya Pradesh. Today, female cheetah Veera has given birth to 2 cubs, cheetah cubs are welcome on the land of Madhya Pradesh and I send my hearty congratulations to the people of the state on the arrival of these cubs."
"Congratulations to all the officers, doctors and field staff associated with the project; as a result of whose tireless hard work, today Madhya Pradesh is also known as the 'land of cheetahs'," CM said further in the post.
The MP CM emphasized that the increasing cheetah population is not only a conservation success but also a boost to tourism, creating new employment opportunities in the state.
"With the ever increasing population of cheetahs in the state, tourism in the state is getting a new boost, which is opening new doors for employment. We are always ready for the conservation, promotion and restoration of all wildlife along with cheetahs," he added further.
Female cheetah Veera is aged about 5 years.
"Congratulations to all! Especially to the team of officers, doctors and field staff, who have worked day and night to ensure this success. With this, the number of cheetahs in India has now increased to 26. It is hoped that the legacy of cheetahs in India will remain strong in the future," said a statement from DFO Sheopur.
With the addition of these two cheetah cubs, the number of total cheetahs at Kuno National Park has become 26, which contains 12 adult cheetahs and 14 cubs.Project Cheetah was launched to revive the presence of extinct Cheetah in the country. As part of the first-ever intercontinental translocation of the species, 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno National Park--eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023. Since their arrival, the project has faced challenges, with eight adult cheetahs--three females and five males--dying.