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Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
What is the International Big Cat Alliance, launched by India?
The first Assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was held in New Delhi on Monday (June 16), presided over by the Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav. He was endorsed as the President of the IBCA by the nine countries in attendance at the meeting – Bhutan, Cambodia, Eswatini, Guinea, India, Liberia, Suriname, Somalia and Kazakhstan. Here is what to know about the body. The Indian government established the IBCA through the National Tiger Conservation Authority, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in March 2024. Its mandate is the conservation of seven big cats – the Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma. It aims 'to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise and replicating them in range countries.' The Union government has allocated Rs 150 crore for the purpose from 2023-24 to 2027-28. There are 95 range countries (falling within the natural distribution of a species) for the big cats, including Canada, China, Congo, Ghana, Brazil, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia and the United States. Twenty-five countries have consented to be members of the IBCA, as of September 2024, including Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Kenya and Rwanda. All UN member countries can become members after the framework agreement is signed and conveyed through a Note Verbale, a method of formal diplomatic communication. What was the rationale behind the initiative? Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the IBCA in 2023 in Mysuru, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. That initiative came at a time when India's tiger population was rapidly dwindling. While there were an estimated 40,000 tigers in the country at the time of Independence, their numbers fell to around 1,800 by 1970 due to widespread hunting and poaching. The killing of the apex predators also has ripple effects on the rest of the ecosystem. As the IBCA has noted in a report, they regulate prey populations, which helps maintain the health of landscapes and prevents overgrazing that can lead to ecological calamities like wildfires and disease. Protecting big cats also safeguards the habitats they roam, which are home to many other species. Thus, the comprehensive effects of conserving these species can include mitigating natural disasters, conserving soil, controlling pandemics, supporting climate adaptation and contributing to climate change mitigation by storing and sequestering carbon. Project Tiger was instrumental in the creation of tiger reserves, beginning with nine zones in Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. These included the famous Kanha reserve in MP, the Jim Corbett reserve in Uttarakhand and Bandipur in Karnataka. At present, India has more than 3,600 tigers, accounting for 70% of the world's tiger population. However, challenges such as deforestation and instances of man-animal conflict remain. Some of the existing threats have also morphed to evade the authorities' radar. As The Indian Express reported in an investigation earlier this year, poaching networks have become 'leaner and more mobile: fewer middlemen, hired transporters to cut risk as they move consignments, and tie-ups with narcotics and arms syndicates.' In his address on Monday, Yadav emphasised the importance of collective action to advance conservation. The ratification of the headquarters agreement signed at the event enabled the body to establish its headquarters and other offices in India.
NDTV
6 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Pics: Ranthambore Tigress Takes Down Crocodile In Rare Jungle Encounter
A tigress at Rajasthan's Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was captured on camera taking down a crocodile in a rare and intense jungle standoff. The incident occurred in Zone 3 near Jogimahal, in the Padam Talab Latab area, when tigress T-84, known as 'Arrowhead', ambushed a crocodile emerging from the water. Eyewitnesses say Arrowhead had been lying silently near the water's edge before springing into action. The attack turned into a fierce one-minute struggle, but the crocodile ultimately succumbed to her powerful bite. Photos obtained by NDTV show the dramatic moments. Arrowhead leapt into the water, taking a chunk of meat out of the crocodile's neck, and finally dragging the lifeless reptile into the forest. A video clip captures the sheer strength of the tigress as she hauls the crocodile's body away from the lake. What makes this hunt even more remarkable is Arrowhead's lineage. She is the granddaughter of the legendary tigress T-16, famously known as 'Machhli' - a global wildlife icon who had also earned the nickname 'Crocodile Killer' for similar daring hunts. Arrowhead's daughter, 'Riddhi', has also followed in the family's fearless footsteps. She, too, has hunted a crocodile, and, in another incident, even preyed on a turtle. So far, there have been three documented cases of tigers hunting crocodiles in Ranthambore, and all three were by tigresses from Machhli's bloodline. According to forest officials, Arrowhead is about 16 years old and currently battling a bone tumour. About Ranthambore Tiger Reserve Located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve ranks among India's most celebrated wildlife parks. Spread across nearly 1,334 square km, the area once served as the hunting grounds for the Jaipur royal family. Authorities declared it a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and included it in Project Tiger in 1973. The reserve draws visitors with its dense forests, scenic lakes, and the majestic Ranthambore Fort perched on a hill inside the park. The main spotlight is its tigers, often seen in broad daylight, which is rare in most tiger habitats. The park actively contributes to India's tiger conservation efforts and shelters several iconic big cats. Ranthambore also hosts leopards, sloth bears, wild boars, hyenas, crocodiles, and over 300 species of birds.
United News of India
6 days ago
- United News of India
India lost 91 tigers under six months: NTCA
New Delhi, June 16 (UNI) In the past five-and-a-half months, India has lost 91 royal tigers—an alarming figure - due to poaching, territorial disputes, human-wildlife conflicts, train mishaps and natural causes, according to data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). On an average, this equates to nearly 17 tiger deaths every month. If this trend persists, the total number of tiger fatalities this year could surpass last year's figure of 126. In the five-year period from 2019 to 2023, a total of 628 striped predators have died across India. The data from the NTCA, which oversee Project Tiger in India, shows 96 deaths in 2019, 106 in 2020, 127 in 2021, 121 in 2022, and 178 in 2023. This widespread loss in the first five months till to date is uneven across states, with more than half ie 49 mortalities occurring in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra where train accidents and infectious disease too have been found to be the cause of the deaths. Maharashtra alone reported the deaths of 26 tigers, followed closely by Madhya Pradesh with 24. Other affected states include Kerala (nine), Assam (eight), Uttarakhand (seven), Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh (four each), and Telangana (one). The data also reveals that 42 tigers were found dead inside their habitat only which can be due to natural causes or territorial fights. At the same time, 35 were reported to have perished outside these protected areas, with officials attributing the deaths to man-animal conflicts and electrocution among others. A significant portion of these fatalities includes 14 cubs, 26 females, and 20 males. However, data available from the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), an NGO engaged in the sector are more alarming. It indicates that tiger deaths have surged in 2025, with 120 reported fatalities so far—96 due to natural or human-induced causes and 24 linked to poaching and wildlife trafficking. As per the NTCA data, over the last 12 years, 1,386 tigers have been lost across India, with nearly 50% of these deaths occurring within designated tiger reserves. Conservationists say that despite rapidly growing urbanisation and human populations, around three-quarters of the world's tigers now live in India. YV Jhala, a conservationist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in his recent study published in Science journal, said that 'from 2010 to 2022, tigers in India more than doubled from an estimated 1,706 to nearly 3,700'. However, the study also warns that there is no need to be complacent. 'While India's tiger recovery is an extraordinary achievement, challenges remain. Large tracts of potential tiger habitat — spanning 157,000 sq km — are still devoid of tigers due to socio-political instability and habitat degradation,' it said. The study has recommended expanding protected areas and habitat corridors, strengthening anti-poaching measures, promoting sustainable livelihoods for communities living near tiger habitats, enhancing human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies, including early warning systems and rapid response teams. UNI AJ RN
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Criticism of Project Cheetah rooted in ideological biases: Government scientists
New Delhi: Project Cheetah's criticisms are rooted in 'ideological biases, oversimplified extrapolations, and sensationalised narratives,' scientists from National Tiger Conservation Authority, Project Tiger and National Zoological Park, Delhi have written in an analysis in Frontiers journal on Monday. The group of scientists have said that initial findings suggest ecological adaptability of cheetahs in India. it is premature to define ecology, home ranges and space use patterns for cheetahs in India, they have cautioned. Preliminary observations from free-ranging cheetahs in Kuno National Park found they predate on a variety of prey including Indian hare, chital, sambar, four-horned antelope, chinkara, blackbuck, and nilgai, with an average observed kill interval of around seven days, the analysis said. Radio-collar data indicate that cheetahs utilise and hunt across varied habitats, including savanna grasslands, mixed deciduous forests, and riverine patches. Despite Kuno National Park having high leopard density, free-ranging cheetahs have not only endured but successfully segregated themselves spatio-temporally from these potential competitors, scientists have added. Further, previous experiences across Southern Africa also demonstrate that the success of cheetah introduction depends significantly on the introduction environment and individual cheetah behaviour contexts. ' A more nuanced understanding of cheetah ecology, grounded in local context and supported by empirical data, is thus essential to evaluate the scientific and conservation merits of the project. Given that the project is still in its nascent stages, it is too early to draw definitive conclusions,' the analysis states. The scientists said 'in recent years, there has been a noticeable trend where government-led initiatives often face heightened scrutiny. Since its inception in 2022, Project Cheetah has also faced persistent criticism, often rooted in ideological biases, preconceived notions, oversimplified extrapolations, and sensationalized media narratives,' they said adding that while constructive criticism is essential for refining conservation strategies and ensuring accountability, much of the discourse around Project Cheetah has been characterized by self-referential arguments, selective use of literature, and a disproportionate emphasis on negative outcomes. There are misplaced concerns about the Cheetah being in captivity for example, they said. It is essential to clarify that Project Cheetah does not follow a simplistic catch-transport-release approach. Instead, it employs adaptive management strategies designed to maximise the chances of the founder population successfully establishing itself. Kuno's management team had initiated the phased release of cheetahs in May–June 2023. 'However, unforeseen challenges, including an unseasonal winter coat, tick infestations, and associated infections, resulted in multiple mortalities in free ranging settings. This prompted the temporary recapture and return of the cheetahs to soft release bomas for close monitoring and medical intervention,' they added. These setbacks informed critical management adaptations, such as the implementation of topical long-acting ectoparasiticidal treatments, which prevented further mortality during subsequent summer and humid seasons. The scientists clarified that six introduced cheetahs currently thriving independently in Kuno's unfenced wilderness. Other cheetahs are also awaiting their release in a phased manner. A recent document circulating among South African animal welfare groups falsely claims that all individuals under project Cheetah remain in 'captivity.' This assertion is factually incorrect, lacks empirical foundation and clearly ignores publicly available evidence demonstrating the current status of translocated cheetahs in Kuno, the scientists said. The analysis has added that India is already negotiating with the Governments of Republics of Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana for additional cheetah translocations. A landscape-scale expansion strategy is being implemented, incorporating neighbouring protected areas beyond Kuno National Park's core zone; secondary reintroduction sites, including Banni Grasslands in Gujarat and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh are being prepared.
Indian Express
09-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
‘Misplaced concerns', ‘misconceptions': In paper countering Project Cheetah criticism, officials say animals are now well-adapted
Amid continuing criticism of various aspects of Project Cheetah, wildlife officials and field scientists from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have authored a paper seeking to counter what they termed 'persistent criticism' and 'sensationalised media narratives' against the project, and defended its progress. The officials and scientists said some of the criticism against the project was 'rooted in ideological biases'. Published in Frontiers in Conservation Science journal, the paper said that cheetahs imported to India have adapted ecologically and that the project had demonstrated significant progress in 2.5 years. It added that the project was on a promising trajectory, even as cheetah reintroduction was a 'gradual and risky process, with inevitable and adaptive learning'. NTCA's assistant veterinary officer Sanath Krishna Muliya is the paper's lead author, and Project Tiger head Gobind Sagar Bharadwaj is among the co-authors. Project Cheetah was launched in September 2022 and introduced African cheetahs into India from Namibia and South Africa. Initially, 20 cheetahs were imported from the two countries. The paper delved into issues such as the project's scientific merits, 'misplaced concerns about cheetahs in captivity', 'misinformed ethical and justice concerns', and 'misconceptions about veterinary capabilities and field interventions.' It sought to rebut criticism that the cheetahs were held in enclosures for a long duration, as well as questions raised on what criteria were followed for the same. The government officials said in the paper that the cheetahs were held in 'soft-release bomas' or large enclosures, where they hunted locally available prey, and no prey was provided. They added that the soft-release practice was internationally recognised for carnivore reintroductions. The cheetahs, the paper said, are now well adapted to the landscape after the phased release process resumed in early 2025 after setbacks such as deaths during May-June 2023 due to what it called 'unforeseen challenges' of tick infestations due to unseasonal winter coats. As per the paper, six introduced cheetahs and 18 cubs are currently free-ranging in Kuno's wilderness and others await release. The government is also negotiating with the governments of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, for more cheetah translocations, the paper said. However, the paper did not touch upon the death of male cheetah Pawan, who died due to drowning in August 2024, as per the Madhya Pradesh forest department. The paper also cited the birth of 25 cubs in 2.5 years as a sign of a stress-free environment. On criticism regarding the project's social impacts, the paper claimed that there was no unjustified displacement or coerced relocation of local communities, and much of the relocation had happened long before. On the stress faced by the wild cats due to recurring immobilisation, the paper said that zero deaths were recorded due to immobilisation. Since the project began, there have been 90 immobilisations of over 20 cheetahs in a span of 2.5 years, for preventive care, medical treatment, and radio-collar deployment.
