New Delhi [India], May 11 (ANI): Ahead of the first-ever International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit scheduled to be held in the national capital in June, IBCA Director General SP Yadav on Monday highlighted the wider significance of big cat conservation, stating that it is intrinsically linked to biodiversity preservation, livelihood generation for indigenous communities, and climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration.

The inaugural summit, to be hosted by the Government of India on June 1 in New Delhi, is expected to bring together senior government officials, conservation experts and representatives from several countries to deliberate on the conservation status of big cats, threats to their habitats and coordinated global strategies to reverse declining populations.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said the summit would serve as a major platform for international cooperation on wildlife conservation and ecological sustainability.

'The Government of India is hosting the first-ever Indian Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit on June 1st in New Delhi. The heads of government officials and senior representatives are gathering to discuss the status of big cat populations, threats, and strategising to halt declining populations,' Yadav told ANI.

He further stressed that the issue of big cat conservation extends beyond wildlife protection and has broader environmental and socio-economic implications.

'Big cat conservation is linked to biodiversity preservation, livelihood generation for indigenous people, and climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration,' he added.

The summit comes as part of India's broader global initiative to strengthen cooperation on wildlife conservation through the IBCA, which was launched on March 12, 2024.

The alliance currently includes 25 member countries and five observer nations, with invitations extended to all interested nations.

'The IBCA, established on March 12, 2024, has 25 member countries and 5 observer countries, and invitations have been extended to all 30 and interested nations,' he said.

According to official sources, 14 countries have already confirmed participation in the upcoming summit. Saudi Arabia is also expected to join the alliance, becoming its 26th member nation, further expanding the platform's global reach.

The International Big Cat Alliance focuses on the protection and conservation of seven major big cat species -- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma -- through international cooperation, knowledge-sharing, scientific collaboration and capacity-building initiatives.

Officials said the alliance aims to promote ecosystem protection, sustainable livelihoods, and climate resilience by preserving big cat habitats, which play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance.

As of May, the 25 member countries of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) include India, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Paraguay, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, and Sri Lanka.

The five countries recognised with observer status within the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) are Kazakhstan, Namibia, Thailand, Ecuador and Vietnam. (ANI)