Officials celebrate birth of species once thought extinct: 'A roaring new chapter'

The process of reintroducing cheetahs to India has had another success with the birth of three cubs.

Bhupender Yadav, the environment minister, announced the news as "a roaring new chapter," with the country's cheetah population now standing at 38 individuals, according to Phys.org.

Asiatic cheetahs went extinct in India in 1952, and only a small number of the critically endangered subspecies currently survive in Iran. The subspecies, which is slightly smaller than its more well-known African cousin, has been nearly wiped out by excessive hunting, habitat degradation, and the loss of prey to human hunters, per the International Society for Endangered Cats. 

The African cheetahs were introduced to India in 2022, and there have been concerns about a high mortality rate and competition from leopards in Kuno National Park, where they've been living.

The moment that India awaited!

Relive the moment when the Cheetah touched the ground at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. #CheetahInIndia pic.twitter.com/40cEtElPSp

— PB-SHABD (@PBSHABD) September 17, 2022

Kuno was chosen for its grasslands and prey availability, with some cheetahs being held in a "soft release" zone, a large but enclosed area used to ease their transition. 

The National Tiger Conservation Authority, which oversees the cheetah project, told Phys.org that survival rates and hunting successes are "comparable to [those of] other international cheetah reintroduction efforts, with recorded wild prey kills confirming successful adaptation to the Indian landscape."

Reintroducing species can help restore not only dwindling populations but the quality of life in habitats as well. A 2025 study showed that reintroducing wolves would encourage the growth of native woods, which has a host of benefits, including pulling carbon from the atmosphere.

Other countries have had successful reintroductions of species, including a pair of beavers that welcomed a kit in England earlier this year. 

Cheetahs prevent overgrazing by preying on herbivore species as well as removing weak individuals from herds, according to the Cheetah Conservation Fund. By preventing overgrazing, they reduce pressure on trees, which in turn helps support birds and other small animals. 

Yadav was beyond thrilled with the successful births of the cheetahs, saying, "May Gamini and her three little sprinters grow strong and carry the nation's cheetah revival story forward with speed and grace."

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