International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) launched

The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) during the program for ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’ organized at Karnataka State Open University. The IBCA endeavors to protect and conserve seven major big cats of the world, including tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah, with a range of countries harboring these species being its members.

key points about the Prime Minister’s announcement:

The Prime Minister stated that India does not believe in the conflict between ecology and economy but rather emphasizes coexistence between the two. He believes that the protection of wildlife is a universal issue that needs to be addressed.
According to data, the tiger population in India has increased significantly in recent years. The tiger population was 1,411 in 2006, 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014, 2,967 in 2018, and 3,167 in 2022. The Prime Minister called the success of ‘Project Tiger’ a matter of pride for India and the whole world.

About IBCA

The IBCA was first proposed by the Prime Minister in July 2019, where he called for an Alliance of Global Leaders to obliterate demand and firmly curb A
The IBCA aims to protect and conserve the seven major big cats of the world, with a range of countries harboring these species being its members. The alliance will focus on developing scientific protocols, best practices, and technical cooperation to achieve the goal of protecting these magnificent creatures.
The Sahyadri or Western Ghats have several tribal communities that have worked for wildlife and tigers to flourish, and their contribution to conservation efforts is laudable.
The Sahyadri or Western Ghats have several tribal communities, that have worked for wildlife and tigers to flourish, and their contribution to conservation efforts is laudable.

Protecting nature is part of the culture:

India has created an ecosystem for tigers to flourish and has not only saved them but also protected their habitat, which is a global issue.
India brought cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa, marking the first successful transcontinental translocation of the big cat.
India’s tiger population has increased by 75% in the last decade, and 75% of the world’s tigers are in India.
India’s tiger reserve covers 75,000 sq km, providing a safe habitat for tigers to thrive.

About species richness:

Despite occupying only 2.4% of the world’s land area, India contributes about 8% of the known global diversity.
India is the largest tiger range country globally, and its elephant population of nearly 30,000 makes it the world’s largest Asiatic elephant range country.
India is also the world’s largest single-horned rhino country, with a population of nearly 3,000.
India is the only country that has Asiatic lions, and their population has increased from around 525 in 2015 to 675 in 2020.
The leopard population in India has increased by 60% in four years.
India has added over 2,200 sq km of forest and tree cover by 2021, compared to 2019 figures.
The number of national parks and sanctuaries in India, around which eco-sensitive zones were notified, has increased from 9 to 468 in the past decade.