Why Big Cats matter for biodiversity and climate

Imagine having the ability to sleep out in the open at minus 40 degrees and jump 50 feet over steep cliffs, or run at 120 kilometres per hour in searing heat across open grasslands. Sectors like agriculture, food and beverages, and construction that rely on direct extraction of natural resources or the provision of ecosystem services such as healthy soils, clean water and pollination need thriving biodiversity, which depends on big cats, “keystone species” whose populations are an important indicator of the health of their entire habitats. Healthy ecosystems, maintained by big cats, can provide communities with essential resources like medicinal plants besides benefits from carbon sequestration. Building on the success of such initiatives, India has launched the International Big Cat Alliance to create a global network on big cat conservation, bringing together the 96 range countries as well as non-range countries, conservation organisations, research institutions, private sector, civil society and local communities. UNDP has been actively working with the government towards big cat conservation, leveraging community participation, nature-based livelihoods and technology to demonstrate innovative pilots that can be adapted and scaled within the country and globally.