International Big Cat Alliance

• Context (IE | DTE | PIB): Union Cabinet approved the creation of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to set up a global network for the conservation of tigers and other big cats.
• The Union Cabinet has also allocated a one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore for IBCA for a five-year period — 2023-24 to 2027-28.
• International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries, non-range countries interested in big cat conservation, conservation partners and scientific organizations working in the field of big cat conservation besides business groups and corporates, to establish networks and develop synergies in a focused manner.
• Its idea was 1^st floated by India’s Prime Minister in 2019. It was launched in April 2023 to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Project Tiger.
• It aims at conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• Objectives of IBCA:
  • To stop the illegal wildlife trade of the seven big cats.
  • To work towards the conservation of natural habitats of the seven big cats.
  • Mobilisation of financial and technical resources for implementing the conservation and protection agenda.

Governing structure

• It will consist of an Assembly of Members, Standing Committee and a Secretariat, with its headquarters in India.
• Its Framework of Agreement (statute) has been drafted largely on the pattern of the International Solar Alliance.
• The statute of IBCA will be finalised by an International Steering Committee.
• A Steering Committee will be constituted with nominated national focal points of founding member countries.
• Appointment of DG by MoEFCC as Interim Head of IBCA Secretariat till IBCA appoints its own DG during Assembly meeting.
• IBCA Assembly at Ministerial level to be chaired by President, HMEFCC, Gol.

Big Cats

• ‘Big Cat’ is a term that is used to apply to any large species of the family Felidae. Usually, it applies to the members of the genus Panthera. These include:
  1. Tiger (Panthera tigris)
  2. Lion (Panthera leo)
  3. Jaguar (Panthera onca)
  4. Leopard (Panthera pardus)
  5. Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
• Two other cats, i.e. Puma (Puma concolor) and Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), are not part of Panthera. But they are usually included in most listings of ‘big cats’.
• All these cats can usually make vocalisations known as ‘roars’.
• The Indian subcontinent has been historically home to the Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, Indian leopard, Indian/Asiatic cheetah as well as Snow leopard.
• The cheetah was declared extinct in 1952. In 2022, the Government of India embarked on an ambitious programme to introduce African cheetahs to the Kuno National Park in MP.

To learn in details about Big Cats, refer to PMF IAS Current Affairs August 06, 2023.