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India’s ambitious African cheetah restoration project shows signs of stabilisation as population reaches 57.

Bhopal May 6, 2026. Male cheetah KAP13 was successfully rescued on Tuesday from the border region between Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district and Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district after the animal strayed into a human-dominated landscape outside the protected forest ecosystem linked to Kuno National Park. According to official press release the rescue operation was launched after continuous monitoring indicated that the cheetah had moved close to inhabited areas over the past few days, raising concerns about possible human-wildlife conflict as well as risks to the animal itself. Teams from the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, along with support from the Rajasthan Forest Department, coordinated the operation across the inter-state landscape. After being safely tranquilised, KAP13 was transported back to Kuno National Park and released into the wild within the protected habitat. Officials described the operation as smooth and successful, noting that the animal was found healthy during the rescue process.

Kuno Field Director Uttam Kumar Sharma said “KAP13 had moved into a human-dominated zone and, considering the safety of both local residents and the cheetah, a decision was taken to bring the animal back to Kuno,”. The Kuno National Park management also expressed gratitude to the Rajasthan Forest Department for extending logistical and field support during the operation. KAP13 was among the cheetahs released into the wild landscape of Kuno National Park on February 5, 2025, as part of India’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme. The project, launched in September 2022, marked the historic return of cheetahs to India nearly seven decades after the species was declared extinct in the country in 1952.

Under the programme, African cheetahs were translocated from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, which was selected as the primary site for establishing a free-ranging cheetah population. Wildlife experts and conservation authorities viewed the initiative as one of the world’s most significant carnivore reintroduction efforts.

The initial phase of the project, however, witnessed several challenges. A number of adult cheetahs and cubs died due to health complications, infections, adaptation stress, and injuries, prompting criticism from some wildlife experts and raising questions over habitat readiness and long-term sustainability of the programme. Despite those setbacks, forest authorities continued to refine monitoring mechanisms, veterinary protocols, and habitat management practices. Over time, several cheetahs adapted successfully to the open forest and grassland conditions of Kuno and adjoining landscapes. The animals gradually began exploring wider territories extending beyond park boundaries into nearby districts and adjoining states, reflecting increasing mobility and territorial behaviour typical of wild cheetahs.

PCCF Wildlife Dr Samita Rajora, said such movement outside protected zones is not unusual for large carnivores undergoing acclimatisation in a semi-open ecosystem. However, it also presents a major management challenge, especially in densely populated regions where agricultural land, villages, and transport routes intersect wildlife corridors. The successful rescue and safe return of KAP13 is therefore being viewed as an important example of coordinated wildlife management and rapid response capability developed under the cheetah project. At the same time, the birth of multiple cubs in Kuno over the past year has significantly boosted confidence among conservation managers. Wildlife officials recently confirmed another litter of newborn cubs, taking the overall cheetah population associated with the Kuno landscape to 57. The increasing number of surviving cubs is being seen as a key indicator that at least some of the relocated cheetahs are now adapting to Indian conditions and reproducing successfully in the wild. Conservation experts believe that sustained breeding, prey availability, disease management, and expansion of suitable habitats will determine the long-term success of the programme.

Kuno National Park has consequently emerged as the centrepiece of India’s effort to revive the cheetah population and restore grassland ecology. Authorities are also examining additional sites for future relocation and expansion of the population to reduce pressure on a single landscape. For now, officials say the safe rescue of KAP13 and the rising population count together reflect cautious but visible progress in one of India’s most closely watched wildlife conservation experiments.