‘Super Mom’ cheetah, Jwala, becomes mother for 3rd time in Kuno

With the new litter, Jwala’s surviving progeny in the park has risen to nine, accounting for nearly one fourth of the 33 cheetah cubs currently thriving in the wildlife sanctuary.
Jwala had first delivered four cubs on March 29, 2023, of which only one — Mukhi — survived. She gave birth to four cubs again on January 23, 2024, and three of them survived.
Mukhi later became the first India-born cheetah to reproduce in the country, delivering five cubs at Kuno on November 20, 2025.
“Jwala is the most successful mother in Kuno. A three-time mother, she has produced nine thriving Indian-born cubs,” Kuno National Park field director Uttam Kumar Sharma told this newspaper.
Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupendra Yadav described the development as a milestone for the cheetah reintroduction programme.
“A moment of great pride for Project Cheetah as Jwala, the Namibian cheetah and a successful third-time mother, gave birth to five cubs today at the Kuno National Park,” he said in a post on X.
“May Jwala and her cubs grow strong and race ahead, carrying India’s cheetah story to even greater heights,” he added.
Sharma said all six adult female cheetahs in Kuno have now successfully reproduced, producing 45 India-born cubs so far, of which 33 are surviving.
With the latest births marking the tenth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil, the total cheetah population in India has risen to 53, officials said.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav termed the development a “proud moment for wildlife conservation and a strong testament to the success of India’s cheetah reintroduction efforts.”