Every year on July 29, people around the world observe International Tiger Day, or World Tiger Day, to raise awareness of the threats and issues tigers face in various parts of the world. The removal of trees, which results in habitat degradation, illegal trade, and poaching are some of the main causes of the tigers’ diminishing population.
Sadly, tigers are one of the animals that are almost extinct. Therefore, International Tiger Day is observed annually to raise awareness about the need to save tigers.
International Tiger Day History:
At the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia in 2010, it was decided to recognize this day. The officials of roughly 13 nations declared that by 2022, the tiger population in those nations would have doubled.
Significance:
In order to rescue tigers worldwide, Project Tiger was started in India in 1973. There have been 9 tiger reserves since the Tiger Project’s inception, but their coverage has grown dramatically over time.
The governments of the 13 range countries established an extremely ambitious conservation objective to treble the number of wild tigers by this year.
The tiger is still considered to be “endangered,” however 93 per cent of its range has been gone, and the number of tigers has decreased from 100,000 in the previous century. Among the main causes are poaching and the degradation of habitats. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that there are only 3900 wild tigers left in the world, making it crucial to observe World Tiger Day.
Types of Tigers & No. of Tigers:
Tigers have a wide range of colours, including white, white with black stripes, brown with black stripes, and gold, and it can be fascinating to watch them move. The only extinct species at this time are the Bali Tiger, Caspian Tiger, Javan Tiger, and Tiger Hybrids. Tiger conservation is a crucial issue to pay attention to because it helps to safeguard and maintain the ecosystem’s equilibrium.
Only 4,500 tigers are thought to be left in the wild, and several of these amazing big cats’ populations, like the Malayan and Indochinese tigers, are in danger of going extinct.
Royal Bengal Tigers:
India is thought to be home to more than half of the world’s tiger population. According to the 2018 “All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018,” India has 2,967 tigers, exceeding its 2022 tiger population objective.
The majority of Bengal Tigers are found in India.
Bengal Tigers are a population of the Panthera tigris tigris subspecies that are mostly found in subtropical and temperate upland forests in India. Bengal Tigers can also be found in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove regions. They are known to swim between islands and are excellent swimmers. The only tigers known to thrive in a mangrove ecosystem are Bengal Tigers.
According to reports, the largest Bengal tiger ever recorded measured roughly 10 feet (3 meters) long and weighed 569 pounds (258 kg). The Bengal Tiger’s 4-inch long canine is the longest.
Women’s Contribution:
1. Dia Mirza
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgllDDJvPFj/
The actor-producer Dia Mirza, an activist for the environment, shared a post to raise awareness about tigers. She has spent decades speaking out in favour of the environment and wildlife. She has worked to change views and raise awareness about topics that do not receive enough attention, whether it was adopting two leopard cubs in 2010 or advocating for snow leopards or spearheading the battle against single-use plastics to safeguard marine life.
As a “Tiger Ambassador” for the “Leave Me Alone” campaign, Dia collaborated with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation in 2013 to highlight the significance of respecting wildlife habitats. In keeping with her eco-sensitive philosophy, Dia forgoes the custom of giving pointless presents in favour of planting trees through the nonprofit Grow-Trees.com.
Since 2018, Mirza has planted more than 8313 trees in tiger habitats, including Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Ramtek in Maharashtra, and Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal. Mirza is aware of the link between habitat preservation and tiger protection.
2. Latika Nath
She is recognized as being the first female wildlife biologist in India. Latika, who goes by the title “Tiger Princess” and was one of the first female wildlife photographers, has been taking pictures since she was six years old.
She was given the honorific title “Her Daringness” in recognition of her inspiring attitude and dedication to the conservation of tigers in India. She has almost 25 years of experience dealing with tigers and holds a doctorate in tiger conservation and management.
3. Aishwarya Sridhar
She is a 24-year-old Indian documentary filmmaker, wildlife photographer, and presenter from Navi Mumbai. Aishwarya was the youngest woman to receive the International Camera Fair Award and the Sanctuary Asia-Young Naturalist Award. She became the first Indian woman to receive the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award in 2020 thanks to her outstanding work.
Her documentary, Tiger Queen of Taru, which was based on the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve’s wild Bengal tigress Maya, was a significant turning point in her professional life.