International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was first proposed by Indian Prime Minister during Global Tiger Day celebration in July 2019 to form an alliance of global leaders to curb poaching, eliminate demand, and halt illegal wildlife trade.
About IBCA
- Establishment: Launched in 2023 by India.
- Headquarter: New Delhi, India.
- Objective: Global conservation of seven big cat species - Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
- Organizational Nature: IBCA is a multi-country, multi-agency coalition comprising of 95 big cat range countries, non-range countries, conservation partners, scientific organizations, business groups and corporates with an interest in big cat conservation.
- Presently, it consists of 26 member countries and 5 observer nations.
- Nodal Agency: Established by the Government of India through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Need for Conservation of Big Cats
- Ecosystem Balance: Loss of apex predator can set off trophic cascade in which the disrupted food chain sends the ecosystem spiraling out of control.
- Conservation of Other Species Habitat: For instance, more than 30% of Asian elephant populations live within tiger landscapes, Snow leopards share their home with Tibetan Gazelle, Argali and Chiru etc.
- Climate Change Mitigation: Forest landscapes safeguarded for tigers store more carbon than other forests in Asia.
- Support to Economy: Alternative sources of income for people who cohabit the space like tourist homestays, dairy enterprises, and fruits and vegetable farming.
