On Veera & Cubs Freed into Wild at Kuno National Park on International Cheetah Day New Milestone for Project Cheetah
Veera
On International Cheetah Day, authorities released female cheetah Veera and her two 10-month-old cubs into Kuno’s wild zone, boosting wild cheetah numbers a landmark for India’s wildlife conservation and reintroduction efforts.
Sheopur / Kuno (Madhya Pradesh)| December 5, 2025: In celebration of International Cheetah Day, a significant step was taken at Kuno National Park: a female cheetah named Veera, along with her two 10-month-old cubs, was released into the wild. The ceremony, marked by the presence of state officials, underscores the progress of Project Cheetah, India’s effort to restore the once-extirpated species to natural habitat
Veera, originally relocated from South Africa under the reintroduction programme, had given birth to the cubs earlier this year. Their release boosts the number of free-roaming cheetahs at Kuno, strengthening the population in open forests.
The release took place in the Parond range a designated open-forest & eco-tourism zone within Kuno. Responding agencies have deployed dedicated wildlife-monitoring and radio-tracking teams to regularly observe the cheetahs’ adaptation, hunting behaviour, and dispersal patterns.
Officials say this milestone reflects the growing success of Project Cheetah, which began in September 2022 by introducing African cheetahs into Kuno. Since then, both imported and India-born cheetahs have increased gradually, indicating suitability of habitat and conservation conditions.
The release event also aims to boost eco-tourism, raise awareness about biodiversity and wildlife conservation, and strengthen local community involvement. Authorities hope such initiatives will further stabilise cheetah populations, encourage natural breeding, and help restore a balanced ecosystem.
As the cheetahs adjust to the wild terrain, conservationists and forest officials will closely monitor their progress viewing this release as a key moment in India’s long-term vision to bring back the cheetah as a thriving wild species.
