Indian Prime Minister, Modi, Advocates  Conservation of Big Cats

Michael Olugbode in Abuja with agency report

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has advocated for the conservation of the big cats in order to prevent their extinction.

The Prime Minister, in a mega international event held last Sunday at Mysuru, Karnataka, to commemorate 50 years of ‘Project Tiger’, made the call for their conservation.

Modi, while launching the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) for conservation of seven big cats namely: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma, harbouring in the planet, noted that India has a long-standing experience on the tiger agenda and conservation of other big cats like lion, snow leopard, leopard, and now the translocation of the Cheetah to bring an extinct big cat back to its natural habitat.

 According to a report from one of Indian major newspapers, IBCA will focus on protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world such as tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah, in collaboration with countries harbouring these species.

“The belief of Narendra Modi has been integral in the environmental consciousness. Wide-ranging efforts have been undertaken, which have together positively impacted the wildlife in the country,” a government statement said..

The IBCA will provide assured support over five years with guaranteed funding of over Rs 800 crore, and will also work towards the protection of the seven big cats-tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.

Membership to the alliance will be open to 97 ‘range’ countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organisations among others.

The statement noted that IBCA would engage in advocacy, partnership, knowledge e-portal, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups and finance tapping.

The main objective of the alliance is to rehabilitate the big cats with the alliance disseminating information on benchmarked practices, capacity building, resources repository, research and development, and awareness creation.

In July 2019, Prime Minister Modi had called for an Alliance of Global Leaders to firmly curb poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia.

The government statement said the population of tigers increased by 33 percent over four years to 2,967 in 2018.

Chairing the ministerial session on global status of big cat conservation, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, said conserving big cats and their habitats can secure some of the most important natural ecosystems on earth leading to natural climate change adaptation, water, and food security for millions of people, and provide livelihood and sustenance to forest communities.

Shri Yadav said 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 in the ‘Amrit Kaal’.

Also, Forest Minister of Bangladesh praised India for helping in their conservation efforts and saving their pride that is Sundermani and Chittagong tigers.

He was enthusiastic in getting tigers from India and rehabilitating them in their Cardamom Hills and in their Sripok Wildlife Sanctuary.