Junagadh (Gujarat), May 14 (IANS) India is home to five of the world’s seven recognised big cat species, Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Thursday at the first pre-event of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit-2026 in Gujarat’s Sasan Gir.

The event on lion conservation was organised by the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry as a precursor to the first IBCA Summit, which will be hosted by India in New Delhi on June 1 and 2.

Noting that the IBCA was conceived in 2023 under the Prime Minister’s leadership to strengthen global cooperation on wildlife conservation, Yadav emphasised the summit in New Delhi would bring together world leaders, wildlife experts, scientists and corporate representatives to deliberate on conservation strategies for major feline species and other wildlife.

The seven global big cat species comprise tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and pumas, spread across 55 countries and “five out of the seven big cat species — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, and cheetah — are found in India, which is a matter of pride for the country”.

“The summit would also lead to the release of the Delhi Declaration, which would serve as a foundational document for wildlife conservation cooperation,” he noted.

Referring to Gujarat’s conservation efforts, Yadav said: “The state had emerged as a global role model in lion conservation. While lion populations, including African lions, were declining in several parts of the world, the population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat had increased by 32 per cent to 891.”

“New habitats have also been developed for lion conservation, including the Barda sanctuary region,” he said, adding that Gujarat’s lion conservation model had become a “matter of pride” for the people of Saurashtra and the state.

The Union Minister said the summit’s theme would focus on wildlife conservation alongside the protection of humanity and the Earth’s ecosystem.

Stressing the need to balance development with environmental preservation, he said: “Nature protects those who protect nature.”

He also said Indian culture emphasises compassion towards all living beings. “The Earth is not only for humans but also for all forms of life, and therefore conservation is equally necessary,” he said.

As part of the IBCA pre-events, programmes on cheetah conservation will be held in Bhopal, leopard conservation in Bhubaneswar, snow leopard conservation in Gangtok, and tiger conservation in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur.

–IANS

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