Namibian cheetahs power India's population past 50

India's cheetah population has surpassed 50 animals, marking a milestone in an ambitious reintroduction programme that has placed Namibia at the centre of one of the world's largest wildlife restoration projects.

The population at Kuno National Park has grown to 57 following the birth of five cubs to Jwala, a Namibian cheetah that has now produced her third litter on Indian soil. The latest births bring to 10 the number of successful litters since the species was reintroduced and the total number of cubs born in India to 37.

The milestone was highlighted by Rahul Shrivastava, India’s High Commissioner to Namibia, who described it as a testament to the India-Namibia conservation partnership and the adaptability of Namibian cheetahs.

“The witnessing of a translocated Namibian cheetah becoming a successful third-time mother in central India is the ultimate testament to the ecosystem’s viability,” Shrivastava said.

Soft introduction

The programme began in September 2022 when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the first eight cheetahs from Namibia into Kuno. It was the world’s first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore and a major collaboration between the two countries to restore a species that had been extinct in India for more than seven decades.

Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952 after decades of hunting and habitat loss. Their return is intended not only to restore the species but also to strengthen grassland ecosystems, biodiversity and conservation-based livelihoods.

Shrivastava said radio-collar data showed the cheetahs were adapting to a range of habitats, including savanna grasslands, mixed deciduous forests and riverine areas, while hunting native prey such as chital, sambar, nilgai, chinkara and blackbuck.

He said the programme’s use of large natural enclosures, known as soft-release bomas, was an internationally recognised conservation practice that allowed the animals to acclimatise while retaining natural behaviours.

The partnership has also created local employment opportunities around Kuno, with residents working as forest watchers and trackers and receiving training for roles in ecotourism.