Madhya Pradesh | 28 Feb 2026

India’s ambitious wildlife restoration journey took another step forward on Saturday as nine cheetahs from Botswana were released into Kuno National Park. With this addition, the total number of cheetahs at Kuno has reached nearly 45, while three more are currently housed at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.

The cheetahs were released into a special quarantine zone by Union environment, forest and climate change minister Bhupender Yadav. They were airlifted from Gwalior to Kuno using helicopters of the Indian Air Force. Calling it a landmark moment, the minister said the move reflects a growing and historic partnership between India and Botswana in the field of biodiversity conservation.

Yadav credited the success of the cheetah reintroduction programme to the special initiative and continued support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that several countries are now working together with India to support global efforts aimed at protecting endangered species and restoring natural ecosystems.

The cheetah project in India has now completed three and a half years, and officials say the population at Kuno National Park is increasing steadily. According to Yadav, India’s work in bringing back the cheetah is becoming a meaningful contribution to global biodiversity conservation.

India launched the cheetah reintroduction project in September 2022, decades after the species was declared extinct in the country in 1947. Earlier, 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno—eight from Namibia in September 2022 and twelve from South Africa in February 2023. The latest arrival from Botswana further strengthens India’s long-term vision to restore the fastest land animal to its natural habitat.

 India Welcomes Nine More Cheetahs as Kuno National Park Conservation Effort Gains Momentum

India’s ambitious wildlife restoration journey took another step forward on Saturday as nine cheetahs from Botswana were released into Kuno National Park. With this addition, the total number of cheetahs at Kuno has reached nearly 45, while three more are currently housed at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.

The cheetahs were released into a special quarantine zone by Union environment, forest and climate change minister Bhupender Yadav. They were airlifted from Gwalior to Kuno using helicopters of the Indian Air Force. Calling it a landmark moment, the minister said the move reflects a growing and historic partnership between India and Botswana in the field of biodiversity conservation.

Yadav credited the success of the cheetah reintroduction programme to the special initiative and continued support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that several countries are now working together with India to support global efforts aimed at protecting endangered species and restoring natural ecosystems.

The cheetah project in India has now completed three and a half years, and officials say the population at Kuno National Park is increasing steadily. According to Yadav, India’s work in bringing back the cheetah is becoming a meaningful contribution to global biodiversity conservation.

India launched the cheetah reintroduction project in September 2022, decades after the species was declared extinct in the country in 1947. Earlier, 20 cheetahs were brought to Kuno—eight from Namibia in September 2022 and twelve from South Africa in February 2023. The latest arrival from Botswana further strengthens India’s long-term vision to restore the fastest land animal to its natural habitat.