Nepal Joins India-Led International Big Cat Alliance

Fast Summary

• Nepal joins IBCA: Nepal has officially signed the Framework Agreement to join the international Big cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led coalition focused on conserving seven species of big cats: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.
• Global conservation effort: IBCA includes over 90 countries working collaboratively for big cat conservation.
• Significance for Nepal: Home to snow leopards, tigers, and common leopards in its landscape, Nepal’s involvement is expected to bolster ecological security efforts globally.
• Tiger population growth: Nepal nearly tripled its tiger population from 121 in 2009 to 355 in 2022 through successful conservation initiatives.
• IBCA launch by PM Modi: Prime Minister narendra Modi launched IBCA on April 9th, 2023 in Mysuru. The platform facilitates experience-sharing and resource mobilization among range countries.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Nepal’s formal accession to the International Big Cat Alliance highlights India’s leadership role in global wildlife conservation. By successfully launching this coalition that spans over 90 member nations-both range and non-range states-India has provided a unique platform for collaborative efforts toward conserving seven major big cat species.

Given Nepal’s recent success with tiger population management through dedicated measures as 2009-a feat acknowledged globally-it brings valuable insight into achieving tangible outcomes in big cat protection within diverse landscapes. Such examples can inform ongoing strategies within other member countries while contributing essential expertise.

Additionally, India’s long-established programs like “Project Tiger” offer precedent-setting models that other nations might replicate as part of shared IBCA goals. Strengthened alliances forged through frameworks like IBCA could also enhance regional ecological balance while demonstrating synergy between diplomacy and biodiversity preservation.

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Representative image | Photo Credit: The Hindu
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