New Delhi
On International Cheetah Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Project Cheetah for reviving India’s lost ecological heritage, inviting wildlife enthusiasts to witness the big cats thriving in their new habitats. Launched three years ago, the project aims to safeguard the species and restore ecosystems once home to cheetahs.
As of December 2025, India hosts 32 cheetahs, including 21 born in the wild, with populations growing in Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. In November, an India-born female, Mukhi, gave birth to five cubs, marking a milestone in the program.
However, experts caution that African cheetahs, imported due to the near extinction of Asiatic cheetahs, are not the original Indian subspecies and may face ecological mismatches. Limited habitat, prey density, and Kuno’s carrying capacity—around 21 cheetahs—pose long-term sustainability challenges. Each cheetah requires roughly 100 sq km of territory, making careful monitoring essential to ensure the species thrives in India.