The New Delhi Declaration on global big cat conservation is expected to be the first international declaration focused on the conservation of all seven major big cat species.
It is linked with the International Big Cat Alliance Summit 2026, which India will host in New Delhi on 1–2 June 2026. The summit is being organised under the International Big Cat Alliance, an India-led treaty-based inter-governmental organisation for big cat conservation.
The declaration is expected to create a common global framework for protecting big cats, their habitats and the ecosystems they represent.
The seven big cats covered are:
• Tiger
• Lion
• Leopard
• Snow leopard
• Cheetah
• Jaguar
• Puma
Background
The International Big Cat Alliance was launched by India in April 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. Its purpose is to bring together big cat range countries, conservation organisations, scientific institutions and funding partners.
The IBCA became a full-fledged treaty-based inter-governmental organisation after its framework agreement came into force in January 2025. Its headquarters and secretariat are based in India.
The first IBCA Summit in New Delhi is expected to adopt the Delhi Declaration, described as the first global declaration on big cat conservation. It is expected to promote shared priorities, transboundary cooperation and a landscape-based approach for protecting big cats and their habitats.
The theme of the summit is “Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem.”
Main Focus
The New Delhi Declaration is expected to move big cat conservation beyond isolated protected areas. Big cats require large landscapes, prey base, habitat connectivity and safe corridors. Their conservation cannot be limited to one national park or one country.
The declaration is expected to focus on:
• Habitat connectivity
• Wildlife corridor protection
• Prevention of illegal wildlife trade
• Transboundary conservation
• Scientific monitoring
• Technology-based conservation
• Human-wildlife conflict management
• Sustainable livelihoods for local communities
• Climate-resilient ecosystem protection
This is important because many big cats move across political borders. Tigers, snow leopards, lions, jaguars and pumas often need landscape-level conservation rather than narrow park-based protection.
Importance
The declaration is important because big cats are umbrella species. Protecting them also protects forests, grasslands, mountains, wetlands, savannas and other ecosystems.
For example, tiger conservation protects forest ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia. Snow leopard conservation protects fragile Himalayan and Central Asian mountain ecosystems. Jaguar conservation supports Latin American forest landscapes. Lion conservation is important for African savannas and India’s Gir landscape.
Big cats face common threats across the world:
• Habitat loss
• Poaching
• Illegal wildlife trade
• Decline of prey species
• Human-wildlife conflict
• Climate change
• Infrastructure fragmentation
• Weak enforcement capacity
The New Delhi Declaration can help create shared priorities and mobilise international cooperation against these threats.
India’s Role
- India is central to this declaration because it has positioned itself as a global leader in big cat conservation.
- India is home to five of the seven big cats covered by IBCA: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah. It is not home to jaguar and puma.
- India’s conservation experience includes Project Tiger, Asiatic lion conservation, Project Snow Leopard and cheetah reintroduction. Through IBCA, India is trying to share this experience with other countries while also building wildlife diplomacy.
- Ahead of the summit, India urged big cat range countries that are not yet members of IBCA to join the treaty-based global alliance. As reported, out of around 95 big cat range countries, about 25 had formally joined IBCA, with five more participating as observers.
- This shows that the declaration is also part of India’s environmental diplomacy and Global South leadership.
Challenges
The success of the New Delhi Declaration will depend on implementation. Declarations can create political momentum, but actual conservation requires funds, field staff, scientific monitoring, local community support and strong law enforcement.
Major challenges include:
• Ensuring real financial support for range countries
• Preventing declaration from becoming symbolic
• Balancing conservation with local livelihoods
• Reducing human-wildlife conflict
• Improving anti-poaching enforcement
• Protecting corridors from roads, mining and urbanisation
• Coordinating between countries sharing big cat landscapes
• Developing reliable population monitoring systems
The biggest challenge is that big cat conservation often happens in areas where poor communities depend on forests, grazing lands and natural resources. Conservation cannot succeed if local people are treated only as threats. Livelihood security, compensation, eco-development and community participation must be part of the approach.
Conclusion
The New Delhi Declaration is expected to become the first global declaration on conservation of all seven major big cats. Its value will depend on whether it moves beyond symbolism and helps countries protect habitats, corridors, prey base and local community interests.
