Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, in an interview with Vishwa Mohan ahead of the first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit in Delhi on June 1-2, acknowledged that human-wildlife interactions are a challenge in growing economies and densely populated landscapes. He highlighted India's coexistence-based management approach to protect tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, and cheetahs. IBCA, headquartered in Delhi, was launched at India's initiative to conserve seven big cats—tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma—in coordination with other countries. India is home to five of these species, excluding jaguar and puma.
Addressing Habitat and Human-Wildlife Conflict
Yadav emphasized that India's conservation strategy goes beyond increasing big cat numbers, focusing equally on habitat expansion, corridor connectivity, and landscape-level conservation. Over the past decade, the country has expanded protected areas, tiger reserves, eco-sensitive zones, and wildlife corridors while strengthening habitat restoration and prey-base management. Nearly one-third of India's tigers now live outside core reserves, reflecting improved landscape connectivity. Proactive measures such as early warning systems, rapid response teams, compensation mechanisms, and habitat management are addressing human-wildlife interactions. The goal is to balance conservation and development sustainably.
Beyond Numbers: Genetic Diversity and Coexistence
Yadav rejected the notion that India's conservation success is merely a numbers narrative. He stressed that population recovery is important, but the broader focus is on healthy ecosystems, genetic diversity, habitat connectivity, and long-term coexistence. Landscape-level approaches emphasize wildlife corridors, gene flow, prey-base management, ecosystem health, and climate resilience. Community participation, livelihood support, eco-development, and conflict mitigation are integral to India's conservation model in densely populated areas.
Multi-Species Conservation Efforts
Yadav dismissed claims of over-dependence on tiger-centric conservation. India's approach is holistic and multi-species, with flagship initiatives for various big cats and vulnerable species. Project Lion focuses on Asiatic lion conservation through habitat expansion and coexistence. Project Cheetah is the world's first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore, aimed at restoring grassland ecosystems. Snow leopard conservation is strengthened through population assessments and community-based efforts. Leopard conservation involves landscape-level management and conflict mitigation. India's ecosystem-centric approach also covers sloth bears, gharials, dolphins, Great Indian Bustards, and Amur Falcons.
International Big Cat Alliance and Cross-Border Cooperation
The IBCA, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to facilitate actionable cross-border cooperation through knowledge exchange, best practices, and institutional partnerships. India already has bilateral and regional cooperation with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar on forest and wildlife conservation. IBCA provides a platform for South Asian countries to strengthen cooperation on landscape conservation, monitoring, and habitat management in shared ecosystems.
Lessons from Project Cheetah
Project Cheetah has generated important lessons on habitat restoration, prey-base management, and long-term ecological planning. Successful reintroduction requires suitable habitat, adequate prey density, landscape connectivity, and adaptive management. Kuno National Park and Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary were selected after extensive assessment. The project highlights the importance of restoring grassland and open forest ecosystems. Tigers, leopards, and cheetahs can coexist across larger landscapes with proper management. The project is implemented through a phased, science-driven approach with continuous monitoring to ensure long-term viability.
