On Mother's Day 2025, Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh shared a heartwarming video showcasing new cheetah moms caring for their adorable cubs. The park has welcomed seven new cubs this year, adding to its growing cheetah population. Notably, Cheetah Nirva and Cheetah Veera are South African cheetahs reintroduced to Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh as part of Project Cheetah, which aims to revive the extinct cheetah population in India. Both Nirva and Veera have played key roles in boosting the cheetah population through successful births, despite setbacks like cub mortality.
Cheetah Nirva gave birth to five cubs on April 28 boosting the park's cheetah population to 29 and India's count to 31. Earlier, Veera welcomed two healthy cubs on April 17.
In the video, Veera is seen resting under a tree with her two three-month-old cubs snuggled close. Despite her calm demeanour, Veera remains alert, watchful for potential threats, showcasing her fierce maternal instinct. Nirva is also seen attending to her five newborn cubs, while Jwala oversees her four 15-month-old cubs as they learn crucial survival skills. Meanwhile, Asha is seen guiding her three 16-month-old cubs, teaching them essential wilderness lessons.
"For the mom who gives without asking, always keeps us safe, and loves us no matter what—Happy Mother's Day! Tag the mom who gives you strength every day," the video was captioned.
Watch the video here:
Kuno National Park, spanning across Morena and Sheopur districts, has been at the forefront of India's cheetah reintroduction program. The park's diverse flora, including Kardhai, Salai, and Khair trees, and fauna, such as jungle cats, leopards, and sloth bears, provide an ideal habitat for these majestic creatures.
Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, reintroduced 20 cheetahs (8 from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa in February 2023) to KNP. The project has faced issues like radio collar infections, high cub mortality, and insufficient prey. Heavy rainfall and humidity in KNP have also caused health issues, such as maggot infestations, in 2023.
