Lion Species Spotlight Programme

On 14th May 2026, India launched the ‘Lion’ Species Spotlight Programme at Gir National Park ahead of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit 2026 to strengthen global cooperation for Asiatic lion conservation and big cat protection.

Key Points

IBCA Summit 2026: India will host the first-ever IBCA Summit in New Delhi on June 1-2, 2026.
Summit Theme: The summit theme is “Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem”.
Big Cat Conservation: IBCA focuses on conserving seven big cat species: lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.
Lion Population Growth: The Asiatic lion population in the Greater Gir Landscape increased to 891 in 2025, marking a 32 per cent rise since 2020.
Project Lion: India’s Project Lion initiative aims at habitat restoration, ecological resilience, and long-term lion conservation.
Legal Protection: Asiatic lions receive the highest protection under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and CITES Appendix-I.