Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the latest tiger census data in Mysuru on the eve of 50 years completion of Project Tiger on Sunday. He will also launch the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA).

Modi will also release the government’s vision for tiger conservation during Amrit Kaal. IBCA will focus on protection and conservation of seven major big cats of the world likeTiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar and Cheetah, with membership of the range countries harbouring these species.

Prime Minister Modi will visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Chamarajanagar district in the morning and interact with frontline field staff and self-help groups involved in conservation activities. He will also visit the Theppakadu Elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Tamil Nadu bordering Chamarajanagar district and interact with mahouts and kavadis of the elephant camp.

Modi will also interact with Field Directors of tiger reserves that have scored highest in the recently concluded 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation exercise.  PM Modi will inaugurate the programme Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger during which he will release the publications Amrit kaal ka vision for tiger conservation, summary report of 5th cycle of Management Effective Evaluation of Tiger Reserves, declare tiger numbers and release summary report of All India Tiger Estimation (5th cycle).

A commemorative coin on completion of 50 years of Project Tiger will also be released on the occasion. India launched Project Tiger on April one, 1973 to promote tiger conservation. Initially, it covered nine tiger reserves spread over 18,278 sq km. At present, there are 53 tiger reserves spanning more than 75,000 sq km (approximately 2.4 per cent of the country’s geographical area).

India has around 3K tigers, more than 70% of the global wild tiger population, and the number is increasing at a rate of six per cent per year.