International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) became a treaty-based intergovernmental organization after ratification by five countries.…

Question

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) became a treaty-based intergovernmental organization after ratification by five countries.

Which of the following combinations is/are correct?

1. A. India, Liberia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua
2. B. India, Liberia, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Nicaragua
3. C. India, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Somalia, and Nicaragua
4. D. India, Liberia, Eswatini, Somalia, and Nicaragua (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — India, Liberia, Eswatini, Somalia, and Nicaragua

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is India, Liberia, Eswatini, Somalia, and Nicaragua.

Key Points

• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) became a treaty-based intergovernmental organization after ratification by five founding countries: India, Liberia, Eswatini, Somalia, and Nicaragua.
• India is the host country and was the driving force behind IBCA's formation to protect the seven big cat species globally.

Additional Information

• The International Big Cat Alliance was announced by India in April 2023 at the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger, and its headquarters is in India.
• It covers seven big cats: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma. Of these, five occur in India — the jaguar and puma do not.
• A treaty-based intergovernmental organisation requires ratification by a set number of states; here five ratifications brought it into force, with India as host and principal funder.
• Related conservation milestones worth pairing: Project Tiger (1973), Project Elephant (1992), Project Lion, Project Cheetah (translocation from Namibia and South Africa to Kuno National Park from 2022), and the Global Tiger Forum, the only intergovernmental body dedicated to tiger conservation.