India's cheetah comeback hits 60 as Kuno's KJP21 births five cubs

KJP21 was born in India — and now she's a mother of five. The 32-month-old cheetah gave birth to five healthy cubs on Monday at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, lifting India's total cheetah population to 60, of which 41 were born on Indian soil. She is only the third Indian-born female to reproduce, after Mukhi and KGP12: the population is no longer growing just through animals brought from Africa — Indian-born cheetahs are now having cubs of their own. Because the father is a male brought from Botswana, the litter also starts a new Botswanan genetic lineage, a boost for long-term diversity. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced the birth, crediting the veterinarians and field staff of Project Cheetah, which is rebuilding a species extinct in India since the 1950s.