Importance of coexistence with ecology and economy

(MainsGS3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.)

Context:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) that endeavours to protect and conserve big cats.
• He said India did not believe in conflict between ecology and economy but gave importance to coexistence between the two.

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA):

• IBCA will focus on protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.
• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) will reach out to “range” countries that are home to the seven big cats to strengthen efforts to conserve these denizens in the wild.
• Notably, the alliance will provide a platform for the member nations to share knowledge and expertise and extend support to recovery efforts in potential habitats. 
• The IBCA will also assist existing species-specific inter-governmental platforms to boost conservation efforts.

Focus on the protection:

• Broadly, the alliance will focus on the protection of seven major cat species and work with countries harbouring these big cats to stop the illegal wildlife trade. 
• However, unlike the Global Tiger Forum, it will work towards the conservation of natural habitats of the lion, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah, along with the tiger.
• IBCA will facilitate the mobilisation of financial and technical resources for the overall ecosystem dealing with big cat species while implementing the conservation and protection agenda that has emerged from the experiences of other countries.

Translocation of big cats:

• The alliance will synergise and speed up efforts in the translocation of big cats. 
• Last year, eight cheetahs arrived in India from Namibia, seven decades after they became “functionally extinct” in the country. 
• The ambitious project to reintroduce cheetahs in India was the first intercontinental transfer of wild cats into the country since Independence. 
• In February this year, 12 more cheetahs were translocated from South Africa. 
• After the translocation of cheetahs, the government expressed a desire to launch similar initiatives to move big cats. 
• The Centre is already in talks with Cambodia, where the tiger was declared extinct in 2016 due to poaching and habitat loss. 

Conclusion:

• India is home to over 3,000 tigers, which is more than 75% of its global population and the tiger population increases from 1,411 in 2006, 1,706 in 2010, 2,226 in 2014, 2,967 in 2018 and 3,167 in 2022.