Born to Namibian mother in February, cheetah cub found dead at Kuno National Park

Aasha, one of the cheetahs brought from Namibia to India under the country’s cheetah reintroduction programme, had five cubs earlier this year. (File photo)

An eight-month-old cub born to a Namibian cheetah was found dead at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park on Monday, after it went missing during morning monitoring, officials said.

Aasha, one of the cheetahs brought from Namibia to India under the country’s cheetah reintroduction programme, had five cubs earlier this year.

On Monday, forest officials found it with only four during morning monitoring and launched an extensive search for the missing cub.

The cause of the death remains unknown.

Kuno National Park Director Uttam Kumar Sharma said, “We are trying to ascertain the cause of death. We will we have a clear picture only after the post-mortem examination.”

The death comes amid a period of renewed breeding success at Kuno, where successive births have strengthened the effort to establish a self-sustaining cheetah population in India.

In less than a month, the national park in Madhya Pradesh has witnessed two baby booms. In mid-September, India-born KGP12, daughter of South African cheetah Gamini, gave birth to four cubs in Kuno.

Within a few weeks, KJP21, a 32-month-old female born in India, gave birth to five cubs on October 5. She had mated with a Botswana cheetah — ushering in the Botswana lineage of India’s cheetah population.

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According to the latest official figures released on Monday, Madhya Pradesh now has 59 cheetahs, including 40 born in India. Of these, 15 are ranging freely in the wild.

In February, Aasha gave birth to five cubs, her second litter in India. On March 9, Namibian female Jwala delivered five cubs, her third litter, taking the number of successful litters recorded in India to 10.

Gamini gave birth to three cubs on February 18. KGP12 delivered four cubs in the wild on April 11. However, a month later, all four were found dead. She delivered the second litter, again of four cubs, in September.

Past losses

The reintroduction programme, launched in September 2022 with the arrival of eight cheetahs from Namibia, has faced repeated losses alongside its breeding successes. A further 12 cheetahs arrived from South Africa in 2023, and nine more from Botswana in February 2026.

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In the programme’s early years, deaths were attributed to a range of causes, including illness, infections, injuries and difficulties adapting to the new environment.

In 2023, several cheetahs died after wounds beneath their coats became infested with maggots, leading authorities to review the animals’ management and release procedures.

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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