International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA):   Recently, the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) signed an agreement with the Central Government, officially designating India as the headquarters and secretariat of the alliance.

• About: The IBCA was established by GOI on April 9, 2023, during the 50 years of Project Tiger event, through the nodal organisation viz., National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Recent Development: Five countries—Nicaragua, Eswatini, India, Somalia, and Liberia—have ratified/accepted/approved the agreement under Article VIII (1).
• Membership: 27 countries, including India, have expressed consent to join IBCA, with several international and national wildlife conservation organizations partnering with it.
• Conservation Aim: IBCA focuses on seven big cats—Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma—with membership open to UN range and non-range countries interested in conservation.
• Objective: IBCA aims to enhance global collaboration by consolidating successful conservation practices, financial support, and expertise to halt and reverse big cat population decline.
• Collaborative Approach: It promotes synergy through→ Gold standard conservation practices and a central repository of knowledge→ Species-specific intergovernmental platforms and transnational conservation initiatives→ Securing the ecological future and mitigating climate change impacts.