Namibian cheetah Jwala has given birth to four cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, correcting earlier reports that suggested three cubs were born. The announcement was made by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday, expressing his excitement over the increased joy in this wildlife wonder.
The Union Minister, taking note of the development, wrote on twitter, “Wildlife wonders! As frontline wildlife warriors managed to get closer to Jwala, they found she has given birth to four, not three, cubs. This has increased our joy several times over. Congratulations all. We pray the cubs thrive and prosper at their home in India.”
The news of the births surfaced just weeks after another Namibian cheetah named Aasha welcomed three cubs. The discovery of Jwala's four cubs was made as frontline wildlife warriors got closer to the proud mother.
According to officials, Jwala's cubs were born on January 20, marking her second litter with a 10-month gap since her last delivery in March last year. Unfortunately, three of the previous cubs succumbed to extreme heat, while the sole survivor is currently being raised under human care for future wilding.
Yadav had previously shared information about the birth of three cubs to Aasha on January 3, bringing the total number of cubs at the Kuno National Park to eight, with seven born this month alone. The park currently hosts a total of 21 cheetahs, comprising six males, seven females, and the eight cubs.
Despite the joyous occasions, the month also witnessed a sombre moment with the death of Shaurya, an adult Namibian cheetah, on January 16. Since last March, seven adult cheetahs, including Shaurya, have unfortunately passed away due to various reasons, posing challenges to India's cheetah conservation project.
Jwala and Aasha are part of the cheetahs translocated to India from Namibia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious Project Cheetah, aimed at reintroducing the only large carnivore species that went extinct in independent India. The project saw the introduction of the first batch of eight cheetahs in September 2022, followed by a second batch of 12 cheetahs flown in from South Africa in February last year.
However, the project has faced criticism over the deaths of several cheetahs. One of the significant challenges encountered in the first year of managing the cheetahs in India was the unexpected development of winter coats by some of the animals during the Indian summer and monsoon. This led to itching, bruising, maggot infestations, bacterial infections, and septicemia, causing the unfortunate demise of three cheetahs.
In response to concerns Additional Director General of Forests in the Union Environment Ministry, SP Yadav,, reassured that the mortalities under Project Cheetah have been within the expected limits, as per the Cheetah Action Plan, anticipating approximately 50 percent mortality. He emphasised that the focus in the project's second year would be on breeding these magnificent animals.
Yadav, who is also the chief of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, announced plans for the next batch of cheetahs to be imported from South Africa and introduced into Madhya Pradesh's Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
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