As many as 16 countries, including Brazil, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Malaysia, have formally joined the newly formed big cat alliance led by Bharat, Environment Ministry officials said on Friday
In addition, nine international organizations, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International, have given consent to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), with headquarters in Bharat, on Thursday. This alliance aims to initiate ‘Big Cat Diplomacy’ and also promote a green economy.
The initiative will focus on the protection and conservation of seven major big cats: tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, pumas, snow Leopards and cheetahs.
Bharat has also announced a one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore for a period of five years, from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
Speaking to reporters, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav confirmed that so far, 16 countries have agreed to join the IBCA.
Moreover, more countries are expected to join soon, officials at the Environment Ministry said.
“We have received consent from 16 nations as alliance members and 9 international organizations. We are expecting more countries to join soon,” he said.
Seven big cats include Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and the Cheetah out of these five big cats viz. Tigers, lions, leopards, Snow leopards, and Cheetahs are found in Bharat.
The International Big Cat Alliance has been conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition that aims for cooperation among countries for mutual benefit in furthering the conservation agenda.
The 16 alliance member countries are Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Suriname and Uganda.
Meanwhile, nine international organisations that have given consent are IUCN, Science and Conservation International Snow Leopard Trust, Global Tiger Forum, FAO; HE Zurab Pololikashvii, Secretary General of UNWTO; The Amur Tiger Centre; WWF International; World Customs Organization, Midori Paxtor; Director Nature Hub Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP.
IBCA would have a multipronged approach to broad-basing and establishing linkages manifold in several areas and help in knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, advocacy, finance and resource support, research and technical support, education, and awareness, the environment ministry said.
IBCA governance consists of an assembly of members, a standing committee, and a secretariat with its headquarters in Bharat.
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