India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has called for a broad global coalition to safeguard wildlife, particularly “big cats” from poaching throughout the globe.
Modi made the announcement on Sunday during the opening of the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) in Karnataka, India.
According to the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gangadharan Balasubramanian, the inauguration was observed by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment, Mr. Udi Odum, as well as other dignitaries from across the globe.
The ambassador said that the Prime Minister had urged the 97 “range” nation alliance (IBCA), of which Nigeria is a founding member, to collaborate more closely in order to safeguard the seven species of big cats.
Tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, pumas, jaguars, and cheetahs are among the large cat species.
“On Sunday, India’s Prime Minister launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) in India.”
The High Commissioner said, “Nigeria is a founding member of the IBCA, and Mr. Udi Odum, Minister of State for Environment in the Federal Ministry of Environment, attended the inaugural event in Mysur, India.”
“The presence of big cats has made a positive impact on the lives and ecology of local people everywhere,” he cited the Prime Minister as saying.
“India does not believe in the conflict between ecology and economy and values their coexistence equally.”
“India is a country where environmental protection is ingrained in the culture.”
According to media sources, the IBCA aims to bring together nations, conservationists, and specialists from across the globe to work on conservation efforts for these seven big cat species.
India intends to exchange information, skills, and best practises in big cat conservation with other nations with large big cat populations via the IBCA.
The alliance also strives to foster cooperation between governments, non-governmental organizations, and the commercial sector in order to develop long-term conservation solutions.
The establishment of the IBCA is an important step towards the protection of these creatures, whose numbers are under unprecedented challenges from habitat degradation and poaching.
