INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT ALLIANCE(IBCA)
- In March 2024, the Indian government, through the National Tiger Conservation Authority under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). The alliance is focused on conserving seven major big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
- The initiative seeks to promote cooperation and coordination among various stakeholders, aiming to pool successful conservation strategies and apply them across the countries where these species are naturally found. For this initiative, the central government has earmarked ₹150 crore for the period from 2023–24 to 2027–28.
- There are 95 range countries—nations that lie within the natural habitats of at least one of the big cats. These include countries such as Canada, China, Brazil, Congo, Ghana, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States. By September 2024, 25 nations had agreed to become part of the IBCA, including Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, and Rwanda.
- Membership is open to all United Nations member states, provided they sign the framework agreement and notify their participation through a diplomatic Note Verbale, a formal method of communication used in international relations
- In 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) during an event in Mysuru, marking 50 years since the launch of Project Tiger. This original conservation program was initiated in response to the alarming decline in India’s tiger population.
- Although there were an estimated 40,000 tigers in the country at the time of Independence, their numbers had dropped drastically to about 1,800 by 1970, largely due to extensive poaching and hunting.
- The decline of top predators like tigers has a cascading effect on ecosystems. According to an IBCA report, these big cats play a vital role in keeping prey populations in check, which helps maintain ecological balance and prevents overgrazing—a factor that can trigger wildfires, disease outbreaks, and other environmental threats.
- Safeguarding big cats also means protecting their habitats, which are often biodiversity hotspots. As a result, big cat conservation has far-reaching benefits such as reducing disaster risks, preserving soil quality, limiting the spread of infectious diseases, enhancing climate resilience, and aiding in climate change mitigation by capturing and storing carbon.
- Project Tiger played a foundational role in establishing dedicated tiger reserves across India. It began with nine protected areas in states such as Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Notable among these were the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Jim Corbett in Uttarakhand, and Bandipur in Karnataka
According to the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), "Big Cats" refer to a group of seven principal species:
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Tiger (Panthera tigris)
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Lion (Panthera leo)
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Leopard (Panthera pardus)
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Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
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Jaguar (Panthera onca)
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Puma (Puma concolor, also known as cougar or mountain lion)
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Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
a) Project Tiger (1973)
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Launched to halt the declining tiger population.
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Led to the creation of 53 Tiger Reserves under the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
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Introduced measures like core-buffer strategy, strict anti-poaching protocols, and use of technology for monitoring (e.g., M-STrIPES, camera traps).
b) Project Lion
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Aims to ensure the long-term conservation of Asiatic Lions, found only in the Gir Forest of Gujarat.
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Focuses on expanding lion habitats beyond Gir, improving prey base, and reducing human-animal conflict.
c) Project Snow Leopard (2009)
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Focuses on community-based conservation in the high-altitude Himalayan region.
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Covers Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir/Ladakh.
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Includes habitat protection and integrating local livelihoods with conservation goals.
d) Cheetah Reintroduction Project (2022)
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Aims to reintroduce the cheetah, extinct in India since 1952.
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African cheetahs brought to Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, under a long-term plan to establish a free-ranging population.
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Emphasizes adaptive management and intercontinental collaboration.
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For Prelims: Kuno National Park, Project Tiger, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
For Mains: GS III - Conservation
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