India exhorts big cat range countries to join treaty-based global Alliance ahead of its first Summit in Delhi

NEW DELHI: India, host of the upcoming first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit on June 1-2, on Wednesday exhorted all big cat range countries that are not yet part of the Alliance to join it. So far, 25 of the total 95 range countries have joined this treaty-based global entity as members and other five as observers.“Together, we can build a strong, inclusive, and action-oriented platform to secure the future of these magnificent species,” said Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav while urging remaining range countries to join the Alliance, an inter-governmental organisation, headquartered in Delhi.He also launched the website and logo of the first IBCA Summit which will adopt the first-ever global declaration on Big Cat conservation (Delhi Declaration), establishing a unified framework to strengthen international cooperation and reinforce the Alliance’s role as a leading global platform for conservation efforts.Calling it “strategically significant” Summit, Yadav said it would strengthen international partnerships, promote south–south cooperation, and inspire collective action across big cat range countries. “It will also help align conservation efforts with global biodiversity and climate goals,” said the minister on the occasion.The Alliance, India’s brainchild, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger in India on April 9, 2023, with the aim of conserving the seven big cats – Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma – in coordination with other countries. Except for Jaguar and Puma, India is home to five big cats.The Alliance’s primary objective is to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve the conservation of big cats at a global level.Besides India, the countries which have already formally joined it as members include Russia, Cambodia, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Armenia, Ethiopia, Mongolia and Rwanda among others.The upcoming Summit, guided by the theme ‘Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem’, would bring together over 400 conservationists, policymakers, scientists, multilateral agencies, financial institutions, corporate leaders and community representatives from across the globe.