Cabinet approves establishment of International Alliance to conserve tigers, other big cats

The Union Cabinet Thursday approved the creation of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to set up a global network to conserve tigers and other big cats.

The India-headquartered alliance was conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries and others to establish a common platform for conservation. Out of the seven big cats (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah), five – tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah – are found in India.

The Cabinet has cleared a one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore for the IBCA for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.

Acknowledging India’s leading role in conserving tigers, other big cats and many of its endangered species, the Prime Minister of India during his speech on the occasion of Global Tiger Day, 2019 called for an Alliance of Global Leaders to curb poaching in Asia.

He reiterated this on the occasion of Commemorating 50 years of India’s Project Tiger on April 9, 2023, and formally announced the launch of an International Big Cat Alliance aiming at securing the future of big cats and the landscapes they thrive. The pioneering and long-standing tiger and other big cat conservation good practices that evolved in India may be replicated in many other range countries.

IBCA aims for mutual cooperation among countries for mutual benefit in furthering the conservation agenda. IBCA would have a multipronged approach in broad basing and establishing linkages manifold in several areas and help in knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, advocacy, finance and resources support, research and technical support, education and awareness.

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