INDIA’S BIG CAT CONSERVATION INITIATIVES

INDIA’S BIG CAT CONSERVATION INITIATIVES

Why in the News?

  • Special Events: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will organise nationwide programmes on big cat conservation ahead of the IBCA Summit 2026.
  • Conservation Focus: The events will highlight India’s achievements in conserving Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Cheetah populations under the Forest Conservation Act framework.
  • Summit Preparation: The programmes are being conducted as a precursor to the International Big Cat Alliance Summit 2026, emphasizing environmental clearances for conservation projects.

Major big cats in India

  • Tiger Habitat: India hosts nearly 75% of the world’s wild tiger population under Project Tiger conservation efforts, with strict environmental clearance requirements for activities near reserves.
  • Asiatic Lions: The Gir Forest in Gujarat remains the only natural habitat of Asiatic lions globally, protected under coastal regulation zone and forest conservation norms.
  • Snow Leopards: High-altitude Himalayan regions including Sikkim and Ladakh support snow leopard populations with enhanced environmental jurisprudence for habitat protection.
  • Cheetah Reintroduction: India launched the Cheetah Reintroduction Project in Madhya Pradesh to restore extinct cheetah populations, following comprehensive EIA notification procedures and retrospective environmental clearances for habitat restoration.
  • Leopard Presence: Leopards are the most widely distributed big cats across India’s forest and semi-urban landscapes.

International Big Cat Alliance

  • Global Initiative: International Big Cat Alliance was launched by India in 2023 for global big cat conservation cooperation.
  • Member Countries: IBCA includes countries hosting populations of at least one of the seven recognized big cat species.
  • Core Objectives: The alliance promotes habitat conservation, anti-poaching measures, research, capacity building, and knowledge sharing, incorporating the polluter pays principle for habitat degradation.
  • Collaborative Approach: IBCA encourages coordinated international action for conserving transboundary wildlife ecosystems, addressing ex post facto conservation challenges.
  • Conservation Theme: The initiative follows the vision of “Save big cats, save humanity, save ecosystem.

 

Project Tiger

●  Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to conserve India’s declining tiger population.

●  The programme functions under the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) established through the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, guided by landmark Vanashakti judgment principles on environmental jurisprudence.

●  India currently has more than 50 tiger reserves spread across different ecological regions, with mandatory environmental impact assessment for any developmental activities.

●  Key objectives include habitat protection, prey-base conservation, anti-poaching operations, and community participation, while addressing ex-post and post facto conservation challenges.

●  Project Tiger is regarded as one of the world’s most successful wildlife conservation programmes.