As Project Cheetah completes 4 years, big cat population in India rises to 52

India’s cheetah population has risen to 52, including 32 cubs born in the country, as Project Cheetah completes four years on September 17, 2026, with officials highlighting the survival of cubs, breeding success and the expansion of the animals into open forest areas as key milestones.

On September 17, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight wild cheetahs from Namibia into special enclosures at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

The next phase of the cheetah restoration programme involves expanding suitable habitat for cheetahs and establishing a comprehensive, long term cheetah meta population in India.

While 49 cheetahs are in Kuno National Park, three others are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, both in Madhya Pradesh. Over the last four years, many important milestones have been achieved, ranging from the reintroduction of cheetahs to breeding, survival of cubs and expansion into open forest, an official said in a statement.