Description

Why In News?

Q: Which big cats are protected under the IBCA?

The alliance focuses on seven big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the website and logo for the inaugural International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit.

About International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

Launch: The IBCA was officially launched by the Indian Prime Minister in 2023, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.

Current Status: In January 2025, the framework agreement transformed the alliance into a treaty-based international organization and legal entity.

Headquarters: New Delhi, India

Core Objective: Enhance international collaboration to stabilize and increase big cat numbers while combating illegal wildlife trafficking.

Focus Species (The 7 Big Cats) The alliance covers seven major big cats: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.

India’s Status: India is home to five of these species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Cheetah (reintroduced). India does not naturally host Jaguars and Pumas.

Membership & Governance

Membership: Open to over 95 big cat range countries, non-range countries interested in conservation, UN member states, NGOs, and corporate partners.
Structure: Modeled after the International Solar Alliance (ISA), its governance includes:

General Assembly: Apex decision-making body meeting at the Ministerial level.
Standing Committee: Responsible for governance and recommendations.
Secretariat: Headed by a Director-General

The Government of India has committed a one-time budgetary support of ₹150 crore over a five-year period (2023-24 to 2027-28) to build infrastructure and create a corpus for the alliance.

1st Global Big Cat Summit 2026

Date & Venue: June 1–2, 2026, in New Delhi.
Theme: "Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem".

Conservation Status of Big Cats

Tiger (Endangered): Estimated 4,500+ left, with >70% of the wild population in India.
Lion (Vulnerable): Asiatic lions in India saw an increase to 674 in 2020, but face risk from disease.
Leopard (Vulnerable): India's population increased to 13,874 by 2022.
Amur Leopard (Critically Endangered): Only about 100 remain in the wild.
Snow Leopard (Vulnerable): Known as the "ghost of the mountains," with an estimated 718 individuals in India's Himalayas.
Cheetah (Vulnerable): Declared extinct in India in 1952, they have been reintroduced in Kuno National Park since 2022.
Jaguar (Near Threatened): Population is decreasing, with over 50% of habitat lost.
Puma (Least Concern): While widespread, they face local threats.

Source: PIB

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA):

1. It is a treaty-based inter-governmental international organization headquartered in New Delhi

2. The alliance focuses on the conservation of seven big cats, all of which are naturally found in India.

3. The "New Delhi Declaration" is associated with the conservation priorities of the IBCA.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1 and 3 only

D) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) officially came into force on 23rd January 2025 as a treaty-based inter-governmental international organization. It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While the alliance focuses on seven big cats—Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma—not all are naturally found in India.

Naturally found in India: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, and Snow Leopard.
Introduced/Reintroduced: The Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952 but was reintroduced from Africa in 2022.
Not found in India: The Jaguar (native to the Americas) and the Puma (native to the Americas) are not naturally found in India.

Statement 3 is correct: The New Delhi Declaration on Big Cat Conservation is a framework associated with the IBCA, focusing on global cooperation, landscape-level conservation, and anti-poaching measures.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The IBCA is a multi-country, multi-agency coalition initiated by India to strengthen global cooperation for the conservation of big cats and their natural habitats, which officially became a treaty-based inter-governmental organization in January 2025.

The alliance focuses on seven big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.

The headquarters and Secretariat of the IBCA are located in New Delhi, India, with the Indian government signing the official Headquarters Agreement.