China may not join alliance on conservation of big cats

IBCA members are not required to make financial commitments but are expected to coordinate actions through programmes and activities aimed at protecting habitats and prey, advancing big-cat protection, and sharing information and capacity-building efforts.

India had about 3,167 wild tigers in 2022, overwhelmingly Bengal tigers. India holds more than 95% of Asia’s wild tiger population outside Russia and more than 50 times China’s tiger numbers, with tigers spread across the Himalayas to the Western Ghats and central India.

The South China tiger is regarded by conservation biologists as functionally extinct in the wild, with no scientifically confirmed free-ranging individuals despite surveys since the early 2000s.

Independent assessments indicate China has a very small wild tiger population, largely Amur (Siberian) tigers, concentrated along the Sino-Russian frontier in the northeast. Estimates place roughly 50-70 wild Amur tigers in China, mostly in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces.

IBCA, spearheaded by India, is to hold its first-ever summit from June 1-3, 2026, with representatives from about 95 countries expected. At the time of reporting, there were 24 member countries, three observer countries and several other ‘range’ countries in the alliance.

Saudi Arabia has confirmed its membership in IBCA, while Brazil has not yet formally joined and is undergoing governmental procedures to participate; the invitation to China was noted as having no development yet.

Senior Environment Ministry officials said China is unlikely to be part of IBCA. An invitation had been sent to China, but there has been no development on it yet.