Big Cat Conservation Alliance in focus

Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger, the Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi recently launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) for conservation of seven species of big cats - tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma. 97 member-countries who harbour these species have joined the IBCA including many Asian and African countries. Through the alliance, the member nations will exchange experiences, provide faster assistance to their neighbours, and place a strong emphasis on capacity building.

The Prime Minister said the idea was based on the learnings from Project Tiger. “As a result of Project Tiger, 70% of the world’s tigers are found in India,” he added. “We are also working on Project Lion and Project Dolphin,” PM Modi said while addressing the inaugural session of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial Meeting via video conferencing.

The government press release pointed out that India has a long-standing experience on the tiger agenda and conservation of other big cats like lion, snow leopard, leopard, now the translocation of the Cheetah to bring an extinct big cat back to its natural habitat. The alliance aims to reach out to 97 range countries covering the natural habitats of all seven species. The IBCA would further strengthen global cooperation and efforts to conserve the wild denizens, especially the big cats.

On another occasion Mr Modi also said, “The alliance is the need of the hour as it will help save big cats by way of exchange of technology and assistance.” “People must be thinking that when tiger numbers are steady in other countries or have gone down, their population in India is increasing. The answer is hidden in the traditions and culture of India and its natural urge towards biodiversity and environment…India has not only saved the tiger population from declining but also provided an ecosystem where tigers can flourish. The tiger reserves in India cover 75,000 square kilometers of land, and over the past 10-12 years, the tiger population in the country has increased by 75%,” he stressed.

Noting India’s unique achievements in wildlife conservation, Mr Modi also said, “India is a country where protecting nature is a part of the culture…India has only 2.4% of the world’s land area, but it contributes toward 8% to known global biodiversity. He added that India is the largest tiger range country in the world, the largest Asiatic elephant range country in the world with nearly 30,000 elephants and the largest single-horn rhino country with a population of nearly 3000. He further added that India is the only country in the world to have Asiatic lions and its population has increased to 675 in 2020 from around 525 in 2015. Idia’s leopard population has also increased by over 60% in four years.

Chairing the Ministerial session on global status of big cat conservation, Indian Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Bhupender Yadav said conserving big cats and their habitats can secure some of the most important natural ecosystems on earth leading to natural climate change adaptation, water, and food security for millions of people, and provide livelihood and sustenance to forest communities. Mr Yadav also said that the Alliance will strengthen global efforts and partnerships on big cat conservation, while evolving a platform for convergence of knowledge and best practices, supporting existing species specific inter-governmental platforms, while also providing direct support to recovery efforts in potential range habitats. With big cats as mascots for sustainable development and livelihood security, India and the big cat range countries can usher in major efforts on environmental resilience and climate change mitigation, while paving a future where natural ecosystems continue to thrive, and gain centrality in economic and development policies, the Minister added.

In 2019, the Indian Prime Minister had called for an alliance against poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia on Global Tiger Day, and the International Big Cat Alliance is an extension to this spirit. Mr Modi had said then that it will be easy to mobilize financial and technical resources for the entire ecosystem associated with the big cat while ensuring their conservation and protection. “The focus of the international big cat alliance will be on the conservation of the world’s seven major big cats, including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah”, the Prime Minister had remarked and had also added that countries that are home to these cats will be a part of this alliance.