Prelims: Current events of national importance | Conservation
Why in News?
Recently, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change inaugurated the ‘Lion’ Species Spotlight Event at Sasan Gir, Gujarat.
Precursor to - International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit
IBCA
- Launched - Officially launched by India on April 9, 2023, and entered into force as an international organization in early 2025.
- Headquarters - India.
- Tagline - "Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem
- Target Species - Aims to protect 7 iconic big cats: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
Highlights of the Event
- Focus - Pre-summit series highlighting the global conservation status of big cats, with a particular focus on India's successful landscape-based conservation models.
- New Natural Habitats - The government highlighted the development of Barda Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat) as a critical new site for the natural dispersal of Asiatic lions to ease habitat pressure in the Gir landscape.
- Infrastructure Initiatives - Mention was made of the upcoming National Wildlife Referral Centre in Junagadh, Gujarat, to strengthen big cat disease diagnostics and healthcare management.
Asiatic Lion Status in India
- Population Trends - According to the 16th Lion Population Estimation (2025), the population of Asiatic lions in the Greater Gir Landscape has risen to 891 individuals, marking a 32% increase compared to 2020.
- Distribution - Over the last decade, their geographic distribution range has expanded by nearly 60% across the Saurashtra region. Amreli district currently holds the highest concentration of lions in the landscape.
- Legal Protection Status - Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule-I (highest legal protection).
- CITES: Appendix-I.
- IUCN Red List: Endangered.
Project Lion –
- Launched in - 2020 on India's 74th Independence Day.
- Approach - Adopts a comprehensive, long-term, landscape-based approach rather than focusing purely on isolated protected pockets.
- Key Components - Focuses on habitat restoration, managing human-wildlife interactions, building ecological resilience, and setting up robust community-based eco-development models.
For Reference - PIB | IAS Parliament
