Bhopal: In the third cheetah birth at the Kuno-Palpur National Park in Madhya Pradesh since a translocation programme for the species was started in 2022, Namibian cheetah Jwala, aka Siyaya, gave birth to three cubs on 20 January, merely 25 days after another translocated cheetah, Aasha, gave birth to three cubs.
The news was shared on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav Tuesday, who congratulated the park staff on the births and expressed his commitment to the conservation of wildlife in India.
Kuno’s new cubs!
Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs.
Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country.
May Bharat’s wildlife thrive… pic.twitter.com/aasusRiXtG
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 23, 2024
Under India’s ambitious cheetah translocation project, eight cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa were brought to Kuno in September 2022 and February 2023, respectively.
However, the project faced challenges as seven adult cheetahs, including the male Shourya, and three of the four cubs born to Jwala earlier have died since March last year.
However, Aasha and Jwala have now given birth to three cubs each — taking the total cheetah population in the park to 20, which includes 13 adults and seven cubs.
Also Read: Kuno CCF on cheetah deaths — ‘action plan made in advance, things happen differently on ground’
‘Cubs yet to open their eyes’
According to the forest officials, the cubs are yet to open their eyes.
This is the second litter to be born to Jwala. Last year on 24 March, she gave birth to four cubs. It was the first-ever birth of cubs at the Kuno-Palpur National Park since the translocation of cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia.
But the excitement was short-lived as two months later, three of the four cubs born to Jwala died owing to the summer heat. Jwala, who was raised in captivity in Namibia, was believed to have abandoned the cubs, and before the officials could respond, three of the four cubs had died.
But with the second litter, the officials at the Kuno-Palpur National Park are hopeful that Jwala will be better able to nurse the cubs.
“This is Jwala’s second time being a mother and hopefully she will do better with her previous experience. The weather is also conducive,” chief conservator of forest Uttam Sharma told ThePrint.
The forest officials also said that the winter season is more favourable for the cubs’ survival, as there is plenty of food and water available in the park. The cubs would be ready to roam with their mother by the time summer arrived, they added.
Sharma added that Aasha’s three cubs, who are 25 days old, are also healthy and active. The officials hope to see them exploring the park with their mother once they turn 40 days old.
While both Jwala and Aasha are inside the larger bomas (enclosure), they are placed in different sections inside the bomas. The officials do not plan to let them out of the bomas anytime soon.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
Also Read: Kuno CCF on cheetah deaths — ‘action plan made in advance, things happen differently on ground’