After visiting the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to Mysuru to attend a celebration of the 50th anniversary of ‘Project Tiger’ hosted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) at the Karnataka State Open University.
At the event, PM Modi unveiled ‘Amrit kaal ka vision for tiger conservation,’ a summary report of the ‘All India Tiger Estimation (5th cycle),’ along with a commemorative coin.
Karnataka | PM Narendra Modi launches the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) and releases a commemorative coin on the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger. pic.twitter.com/r4twYEibod
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2023
The Prime Minister also established the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA), which will focus on protecting and conserving the seven primary big cats (Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah) of the globe to mark the milestone. Membership in the IBCA will be open to a range of nations with these species.
PM Modi addressed the gathering and during his speech, highlighted that India just celebrated 75 years of freedom and that 75% of the world’s tigers live in the country.
Project Tiger leads the way in protection and conservation of the big cats. https://t.co/53B9nwsNkt
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 9, 2023
PM Modi called it an outstanding accomplishment and evidence of India’s dedication to wildlife protection. He also mentioned that ‘Project Tiger’ has played a critical role in the increase of the tiger population in India.
“The success of Project Tiger is a matter of pride not only for India but also for the world. Our country has not only conserved tigers but has also given them an ecosystem to flourish,” he noted.
He highlighted the fact that while making up only 2.4% of the planet’s geographical area, India contributes to around 8% of the known global diversity. He also pointed out that the first transcontinental transfer of the big cat, which was accomplished by India, was the successful reintroduction of the cheetah from Namibia and South Africa. He remarked that the country is presently the largest Asian Elephant range country in the world, with close to 30,000 elephants living here.
Twelve cheetahs were brought from South Africa, last February to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Eight cheetahs had previously been transported in September of last year from Namibia and released in the same park.
PM Modi asserted India’s dedication to protecting the environment and Project Tiger’s important role in the rise of the tiger population in the country. He proclaimed that the protection of a wide variety of flora and fauna as well as the resurgence of numerous endangered species, notably the cheetah, are results of India’s efforts to safeguard wildlife.
The PM affirmed, “India is a country which believes in the co-existence of economy and ecology. We are also the largest tiger range country in the world. The huge success and the increase in the number of tigers proves how much the country works towards saving our wildlife.”
The Prime Minister also released the most recent tiger census data according to which India had 2,967 tigers in 2018, but by 2022, that number had increased to 3,167.
