MP: Kuno's 1st Female Cheetah Cub 'Mukhi' Turns A Year Old; Lives Solitary Life After Being Rejected By Mom 'Jwala'

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Female cheetah cub 'Mukhi'—the first Cheetah baby to take birth on the soil of Kuno National Park—turned a year old on Friday. During the 1-year journey, little Mukhi has to battle several challenges to adapt to the environment of the Kuno.

The story of Mukhi is not less than that of a warrior. She was born to' Jwala' and had three more siblings. However, when the extreme heat swept through Kuno last year, her three siblings succumbed. She too suffered from dehydration and was put into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Owing to the hard efforts of veterinary doctors, she regained her health.

Rejected by mom 'Jwala'

Not only this, she was also rejected by her mother, 'Jwala', at a tender age. The cub was forced to live a solitary life, deprived of his mother’s care. As cubs learn the skills of living in the wild from their mother, and Mukhi is deprived of this natural gift, she cannot learn the basic tactics of hunting. However, Mukhi is quite observant, say the officials, as she is learning hunting skills by watching the other cheetahs in her neighboring enclosure. She acts like she too wants to be part of that hunting prowess. This is a silver line for her future, said the relieved Kuno officials.

'Active, but shy'

She has started to chase and hunt small birds. Once, while trying to follow a bird, one of her limbs got injured. She recovered the fracture under the guidance of veterinary doctors, and she is back in the field.

Adding more details, the officials said that Mukhi has a learing attitude, but she is a bit shy. On seeing new people or anybody other than the Kuno, she sneaks inside her hideout.