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3 min readBhopalUpdated: May 12, 2026 08:18 PM IST
The deaths come at a time when the Cheetah Project had been seeing signs of stabilisation after a difficult initial phase marked by deaths of the big cats. (File photo)
The deaths of four one-month-old cheetah cubs in the wild at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park on Tuesday marked a setback for India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme, which had recently witnessed a sharp rise in births and expanding populations inside and outside protected enclosures.
Officials said the cubs, born on April 11 to female cheetah, KGP12, in the Sheopur Territorial Division adjoining Kuno, were found dead around 6.30 am by monitoring teams near the den site. The bodies were partially eaten. According to the Field Director of the Cheetah Project, the cubs had been seen alive on Monday evening.
“Prima facie, the incident appears to be predation by another animal,” said a senior wildlife official, adding that the mother cheetah was safe and healthy. Postmortem examinations and a detailed investigation are underway to determine the exact cause of death.
The deaths come at a time when the Cheetah Project had been seeing signs of stabilisation after a difficult initial phase marked by deaths of the big cats.
Just days ago, Madhya Pradesh authorities were celebrating the success of Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. On May 10, coinciding with Mother’s Day celebrations, park authorities released a short film featuring female cheetahs and their cubs. A day later, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav released two female cheetahs brought from Botswana from their enclosures into the open forest.
KGP12’s litter was among the latest additions to what officials had described as a “baby boom” in Kuno. Since the arrival of African cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa beginning in September 2022, multiple females have given birth in India.
With the death of the four cubs, Kuno currently houses 50 cheetahs, including the Indian-born animals, while three more are being housed at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. The total cheetah population in India now stands at 53, officials said.
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Tuesday’s deaths revive concerns over cub survival rates in the project. Several cubs born in Kuno over the past two years have died due to various causes, including extreme heat, weakness, abandonment, and suspected infections.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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