PM Modi to launch big cats alliance to conserve seven cats
2 min read . Updated: 08 Apr 2023, 02:16 PM IST
Premium- In July 2019, Modi had called for an alliance of global leaders to obliterate demand and firmly curb poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) on Sunday during his visit to Karnataka on 9 April.
The launch of the alliance follows the clarion call given by the Prime Minister in July 2019, when he had called for an alliance of global leaders to obliterate demand and firmly curb poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Asia.
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," according to a government release.
According to the government, the population of tigers increased by 33% over 4 years to 2,967 in 2018. The PM will release the latest figures of the tiger population on 9 April.
Strong conservation management and robust protection has resulted in a 29% increase of the lion population in Gujarat, while the widely distributed leopard population has witnessed an increase of about 63% in 2018 over a span of four years.
The government claims that India ranked first in wild-to-wild transcontinental translocation of a big cat (Cheetah) in 2022 and reversed a historic wrong of extinction of Cheetah.
"One plank of the efforts of the government is to positively impact the wildlife population through conservation efforts. A parallel plank is an immense focus of the government on ending poaching. This bore fruit last year with the end result being zero poaching of rhinoceros in Assam," the release said.
The Prime Minister will visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve in the morning and interact with frontline field staff and self help groups involved in conservation activities. He will also visit the Theppakadu Elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and interact with mahouts and kavadis of the elephant camp.
He will inaugurate ‘Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger’. He will also interact with field directors of tiger reserves that have scored highest in the recently concluded 5th cycle of management effectiveness evaluation exercise.