The country’s ambitious bid to reintroduce cheetahs received a major boost when the environment minister announced the birth of three cubs.
Bhupender Yadav hailed “a roaring new chapter”, saying in a statement that India’s cheetah population now stands at 38.
Despite high mortality, it marks an overall rise of 35% from the 28 introduced in batches since 2022.
Yadav shared a photograph of the spotted big cat with the trio of tiny cubs, born to a South African cheetah giving birth in India for the second time.
Celebrating the “joyful arrival” of the latest trio, Yadav said it “marks the ninth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil and takes the number of surviving Indian-born cubs to 27”.
“With these newest additions, India’s total cheetah population has now reached 38 – a powerful symbol of the country’s determined and historic conservation effort.” — AFP
