Four wild-born cheetah cubs have died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the Cheetah Project confirmed in a press note issued on May 12, 2026 — a blow to India’s reintroduction programme even as officials say the mother is safe and healthy.

The cubs, all approximately one month old, were born to female cheetah KGP12 on April 11, 2026 — making them among the youngest wild-born individuals in the programme’s short history. The monitoring team discovered the bodies near the den site in Sheopur Territorial Division at around 6:30 AM on Tuesday. The cubs had been partially eaten.

The Field Director of the Cheetah Project said the animals were last observed alive on the evening of May 11. “Prima facie, the incident appears to be predation by another animal,” the statement noted, adding that a post-mortem examination and detailed investigation are underway.

The identity of the predator has not been confirmed. Kuno’s prey base includes leopards, and inter-species conflict involving young cheetah cubs at den sites has been a documented risk in the reintroduction literature.

India’s cheetah count: 53

The press note provided an updated population count: Kuno National Park currently holds 50 cheetahs, of which 33 are Indian-born individuals. A further three cheetahs are located at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary. The total number of cheetahs in India now stands at 53.

The Field Director stated that all remaining cheetahs are healthy and doing well.

KGP12’s cubs are the latest in a series of wild births that have marked a significant milestone for Project Cheetah — India’s ambitious effort to reestablish the species nearly seven decades after it was declared extinct in the country. The deaths are a reminder of the survival pressures cubs face in the wild, particularly in the critical first weeks of life.

The Cheetah Project has not yet confirmed a timeline for the post-mortem findings.

Sources: Cheetah Project, Field Director’s Press Note dated 12.05.2026