29th July: International Tiger Day
International Tiger Day, also known as World Tiger Day, is observed every year on 29 July. This day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about tiger conservation. The tiger is the largest of the world’s big cats and this magnificent creature, with its distinctive orange and black stripes and its beautifully marked face, has a day dedicated to him.
At the beginning of the twentieth century it is estimated that there were around 100, 000 wild tigers, however, today it is known that more than 97% of these tigers have disappeared in the last century, and that only about 3,000 live specimens remain. On the other hand, it is estimated that there are about 20,000 tigers in captivity, a much higher number than those that exist in the wild.
In response to this situation, World Tiger Day is celebrated to protect tiger habitats and gain support through awareness raising for tiger protection.
Threats to the tiger
- Illegal trafficking: tigers ere highly valued by Asian medicine, believing that parts of their body give vigor and strenght. This causes indiscriminate hunting of specimens.
- Loss of habitats: the life of the tiger is solitary and needs a loto f land to survive, the closed reserves where the density of tigers increases considerably ends up ending with these felines to fight between them.
- Climate change is threatening this habitat: however, the mangrove and tiger habitat will become extinct in 2070 if no efforts are made to cope with sea level rise. In the last 20 years, four islands where this big cat live have already been completely submerged by the waters.
- Conflict with grazing: as tigers lose their habitats and prey, the begin to get closer to urban centres, attacking domestic livestock and sometimes people. In revenge for to losses, tigers are often hunted by local authorities or inhabitants.
- Illegal mining is causing tiger deaths and habitat loss for example in the Ranthambore National Park Reserve and Sariska in Rajasthan.
The tigers are in danger
the population has fallen by 97% in the last 100 years.
The World Bank’s global commitment to the Tiger Initiative has garnered interest and support from the global scientific and conservation community. The project is hosted by the Smithsonian Institute and the International Tiger Coalition, a group of 39 NGOs representing millions of members working around the globe, incluiding tiger distribution countries.
The scientific community, for its part, is working with the world Bank on the study of populations, as well as on possible solutions to threats that threaten their survival. These efforts are joined by numerous regional and international organizations with a long professional career in conservation.