MP CM releases 2 Botswana cheetahs into Kuno National Park forest
Synopsis
Two Botswana cheetahs have been released into Kuno National Park's open forest, pushing India's total cheetah count to 57. It is the latest step in Project Cheetah — one of the world's most ambitious wildlife reintroduction efforts — nearly three years after the species returned to Indian soil after a seven-decade absence.
Key Takeaways
MP CM Mohan Yadav released cheetahs CCV-2 and CCV-3 into open forest at Kuno National Park on 11 May 2025 .
The two female cheetahs arrived from Botswana in February 2025 as part of a batch of nine — the third international phase of Project Cheetah.
India's total cheetah count, including cubs born in the country, now stands at 57 .
54 cheetahs are at Kuno National Park; 3 are at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary .
Earlier phases brought 8 cheetahs from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in 2023.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday, 11 May released two female cheetahs brought from Botswana into the open forest area of Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, after the animals completed their quarantine and acclimatisation period. The release marks another milestone under the Centre's ambitious Project Cheetah, pushing India's total cheetah count — including cubs born in the country — to 57.
The Release
The two cheetahs, identified as CCV-2 and CCV-3, were released near the banks of the Kuno River in Sheopur. Both are female and were part of a batch of nine cheetahs — six females and three males — that arrived from Botswana in February 2025 under the third international phase of Project Cheetah. They had been kept in controlled enclosures since their arrival to help them adapt to local climatic and ecological conditions before their transition to open forest.
Chief Minister Yadav also conducted a tour of Kuno National Park following the release. He was accompanied by New and Renewable Energy Minister Rakesh Shukla and Madhya Pradesh Forest Development Corporation Chairman Ramniwas Rawat.
What the Chief Minister Said
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Minister Yadav said Madhya Pradesh had provided a suitable and secure environment for the rehabilitation of cheetahs, positioning the state as the leading centre for the conservation initiative in the country.
"The land of Madhya Pradesh has provided a favourable environment for cheetahs and has played an important role in their rehabilitation, making them a part of its family," Yadav said. He also noted that the cheetah reintroduction programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi nearly three-and-a-half years ago is progressing successfully.
"Today, the cheetah rehabilitation project in the country is moving ahead successfully with rapid progress. Madhya Pradesh is setting new milestones in this important initiative," he added.
Cheetah Count and Current Status
According to Kuno National Park's official statement, India's total cheetah population has risen to 57, including cubs born on Indian soil. Of these, 54 are currently housed at Kuno National Park, while three are at the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. The addition of the Botswana batch has significantly bolstered numbers that had faced setbacks due to mortality in earlier phases.
Project Cheetah: Previous Phases
Project Cheetah began with the arrival of eight cheetahs from Namibia on 17 September 2022, when Prime Minister Modi personally released them at Kuno in a high-profile ceremony. A second batch of 12 cheetahs from South Africa followed in 2023. The Botswana cohort represents the third and largest international intake, bringing cumulative international arrivals to 29 cheetahs. The cheetah had been declared extinct in India in 1952, making the reintroduction one of the most complex wildlife restoration efforts in the country's history.
What the Project Aims to Achieve
The Centre's Project Cheetah aims to restore the species in India, grow its population over successive generations, and eventually prepare the animals for free hunting and roaming in the wild without human support. Kuno National Park, spread across the Vindhyan plateau in Madhya Pradesh, was selected for its suitable prey base and forest cover. As the project matures, authorities are expected to explore additional sites — Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary's current three cheetahs represent an early step in that geographic expansion.
Point of View
But the project's credibility rests on survival rates and eventual self-sustaining reproduction — metrics that have been inconsistent since 2022. Several cheetahs from the Namibia and South Africa batches died in the early phases, raising questions about habitat readiness and veterinary protocols. The geographic diversification to Gandhi Sagar is a positive signal, but three cheetahs at a second site is a modest start. The real test of Project Cheetah will come when the animals breed successfully in the wild without managed intervention — and that benchmark is still years away.
NationPress
11 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Project Cheetah and why does it matter?
Project Cheetah is India's initiative to reintroduce the cheetah, which was declared extinct in the country in 1952, back into its natural habitat. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2022, the project aims to restore the species, grow its population, and eventually enable free-ranging wild cheetahs in India.
How many cheetahs does India now have?
India's total cheetah population, including cubs born in the country, has reached 57, according to Kuno National Park's official statement. Of these, 54 are at Kuno National Park and three are at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
Which cheetahs were released on 11 May 2025?
Two female cheetahs identified as CCV-2 and CCV-3, brought from Botswana in February 2025, were released into the open forest near the Kuno River in Sheopur district. They had spent several months in controlled enclosures for quarantine and acclimatisation.
How many cheetahs came from Botswana and when?
Nine cheetahs — six females and three males — arrived from Botswana in February 2025 as the third international phase of Project Cheetah. Earlier phases saw eight cheetahs from Namibia in September 2022 and twelve from South Africa in 2023.
Where are India's cheetahs currently located?
Of India's 57 cheetahs, 54 are housed at Kuno National Park in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, and three are at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, also in Madhya Pradesh.
