Madhya Pradesh wildlife officials have initiated plans to introduce a female cheetah to the Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary, with hopes that the animal will mate with a male coalition (a group that lives together).The move is part of the state’s ambitious plans to populate the site as a second home for cheetahs. The Kuno National Park currently has 19 cubs who have adapted well to the Indian summer and monsoon conditions.J S Chauhan, the former Madhya Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and the architect of Kuno, told The Indian Express, “It’s a good idea to further propagate the cheetah population, and the wildlife officials should introduce more female cheetahs to do this.” However, several factors must be considered. Here is what to know.First, what is the distribution of cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh like?In April, two cheetahs were relocated from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar, originally brought from South Africa in 2023. They were chosen due to their wild traits, hunting record and age. Gandhi Sagar and Kuno are 250 km apart.Under Project Cheetah, the animals were first relocated from Africa to India in September 2022 to reintroduce the species after its extinction in 1952. The key aims are rejuvenating the local ecosystem and enhancing biodiversity. With 19 cubs and 10 older cheetahs, their population in India stands at 29.Gandhi Sagar is spread across 2,500 sq km, abutting Rajasthan, and is a mix of grasslands, dry deciduous forests, and riverine evergreen patches — an ideal habitat for cheetahs. It has a carrying capacity of 10 cheetahs, at present.What is known about reproduction in cheetahs?Researchers say that a female cheetah typically reaches physiological puberty between 25–30 months of age and has their first litter at around 29 months. Whereas, male cheetahs delay reproduction until reaching prime adulthood (between 48 to 96 months), when they are capable of acquiring and defending territories.Story continues below this adCheetahs can have multiple mating partners. A female cheetah’s receptive period, part of the estrous cycle where hormones induce physiological changes, occurs multiple times a year and can last between 0 to 6 days. A cheetah mother on the lookout. (Express archives)A female needs to display receptiveness before copulation, with signals like spray urinating on bushes and rocks and undertaking extensive movement. Other signs include frequent rolling, rubbing, sniffing, vocalising, and increased tolerance or affection toward male cheetahs in the vicinity.When a male cheetah detects the scent markings of such a female, he gives out a series of yelps. They approach and consider each other, at times circling one another before mating. The pair typically stays together for a few days, with the male following and sniffing the ground where the female has been, until she is no longer receptive.What do female cheetahs require during this period?Their weight and appetite will increase during pregnancy, with nipple development and a visibly bulging belly in the third trimester. Following a gestation period of three months, female cheetahs give birth to litters of up to six cubs. She chooses to be in bushy areas or rock cavities to ensure their protection.Story continues below this adSince all cheetahs in India are radio-collared, the den site can be precisely identified. Females tend to stay in the same location for two to three days and then develop a star-patterned movement — exploring different directions but returning to the den.The nursing period lasts for four months. During late pregnancy and lactation, energy expenditure in female cheetahs can increase up to two to five-fold due to activities such as predator avoidance and searching for water and food.In the wild, maternal food intake exceeding 1.5 kg per day is necessary to maintain adequate milk production. Thus, cheetahs adjust their diet by hunting larger prey. Cheetah cubs develop more quickly than the young of any other large felid (essentially members of the cat family).What threats do pregnant cheetahs face?J S Chauhan said that prey density was a concern and a “crucial factor to support the Cheetah population.”Story continues below this adThe leopard density in Gandhi Sagar’s 64 sq km cheetah enclosure was reported to be high, with 24 leopards noted in late 2024. This was concerning because the co-predators posed a danger to the expecting mothers, prompting the relocation of 17 leopards by March 2025.“There should be adequate den sites in the wild where co-predators can’t pose a threat to them. In Gandhi Sagar, the leopard density is less than in Kuno. Furthermore, the enclosures where the females will be housed are much larger than Kuno’s. Most of the breeding has taken place inside closed enclosures, which gives us an advantage,” Chauhan said.Officials will also monitor cheetahs before they are allowed to mate. This will be a learning from the events of May 2023, when a female cheetah died in Kuno due to injuries caused by a violent interaction with two male cheetahs during a mating attempt.“That experience went awry. We had South African experts who were stunned. The male coalition was aggressive and far heavier, the female cheetah’s skull was fractured during this mating. But this is a rare occurrence,” Chauhan said.Story continues below this adThis time, wildlife officials have said they will monitor the behaviour of the two male cheetahs with the female cheetah in separate enclosures, before putting them together.What will wildlife officials do?A dedicated monitoring team will observe the female cheetah’s hunting expeditions and instances of mating. The female cheetahs will be consistently assessed for signs of pregnancy. Activities of suspected pregnant females will be monitored, with biweekly supervisory checks by veterinarians and weekly checks by the park authorities.Officials will also ensure an adequate prey base inside the enclosure through frequent prey supplementation. If needed, the meat will be procured from a certified vendor and thoroughly examined by on-site veterinarians before being fed, according to MP wildlife rules.Explained | Seven cheetahs born in Kuno: Challenges, survival chances, and the wild-vs-protected debateThe feeding will be done by providing a large meal (15 to 20 kg) every third or fourth day during the pregnancy, mimicking the natural feed-starvation cycle. Daily feeding is barred, as cheetahs are prone to gastrointestinal disorders.Story continues below this adWater resources are also maintained during dry weather. The staff shall further ensure that no domestic livestock, including stray dogs, are present near pregnant females.What happens once the litter is born?After locating the den site, wildlife officials begin remote surveillance. When the mother goes out hunting, a veterinary team inspects the site within the first weeks of denning to evaluate litter size and cub survival.The staff must refrain from handling cubs during this period to minimise disturbances. At Kuno, once the cubs typically open their eyes around 10 days after birth, they are physically examined and weighed to assess their health. This became standard practice after a female cheetah lost three of its cubs during extreme heat conditions in 2023.The vets handle the cubs with PPE kits to prevent the transmission of pathogens and minimise the transfer of human scent, until they turn one month old. By the sixth week, the cheetah cubs become increasingly mobile.Story continues below this adAfter the cubs emerge from the den site, concealed cameras are set up along probable trails and around the den to monitor them.