PM Modi calls for international alliance to save big cats from extinction

Bengaluru: At the launch of International Big Cats Alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stated that International Big Cats Alliance will focus on saving 7 big cat species such as tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, jaguars, puma and cheetahs before they are ‘extinct’ forever.

Addressing the gathering at the function to commemorate 50 years of ‘Project Tiger’ after the launch of International Big Cats Alliance in Mysuru city, Modi said that the International Alliance for Big Cats would help the member nations to share information on big cats, conduct research, training and also in capacity building. “Together we need to save environment and create better eco-system,” the Prime Minister felt.

Modi said that wildlife conservation is a universal issue and felt that International alliance is the need of the hour to deal with the issue of wildlife conservation.

Referring to the birth of four cubs in Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh after translocation  of Cheethas from Namibia and South Africa into the country, Modi termed “It a big development” and “A good sign” in a country where Cheethas were “extinct.” Continuing, he stressed on the need for “international cooperation.”

Modi termed bringing Cheetahs to India from Namibia and South Africa “a big transcontinental translocation.”

Stating that Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat is only place where Asiatic Lions are found and their numbers which was 525 in 2015 has increased to 675 at present, Modi said that being a Chief Minister for Gujarat, he learnt on measures to save the Lions and forged a relationship between ecology and economy in Gujarat.

Modi said that steps were initiated to curb poaching incidents by constituting ‘Vanya Prani Mitra’ programmes and cash rewards were announced, women were inducted as beat guards and a rehabilitation centre was opened, and created “a bond between humans and lions.”  

When compared with the statistics of 2019, Modi said the country has recorded an increase in its forest as well as green cover by about 2,200 sq kms in 2020. Over the cleaning up of River Ganga, Modi said that the project has helped some aquatic species to recover which were in ‘endangered’ list and also help the diversity.

“We do not believe in conflict between ecology and economy but in making co-existence,” Modi said and “It has been a big factor in environment protection in the country having about 2.4 per cent of world’s total land area and holds about 8 per cent of globally known species.

Modi stated that the country is largest tiger range country in the world and with a total of 30,000 elephant population, the country is also the largest range for Asiatic elephants.  Even the population of leopards increased by about 60 per cent in the last four years and the Rhinos numbers are about 3,000 at present making the country largest home for Single Horned Rhinos in the world.

 

PM Narendra Modi released Status of Tigers-2022 at a function to commemorate 50 years of Project India held in Mysuru on Sunday.