International Tiger Day: 29 July

The International Tiger Day (also known as Global Tiger Day) is celebrated every year on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation, promote the protection of natural habitat of tigers and support tiger conservation issues. The annual day is celebrated with the slogan “Their survival is in our hands”.

International Tiger Day

It is an annual celebration to raise awareness regarding tiger conservation. It was instituted in 2010 at Saint Petersberg Tiger Summit in Russia in view of alarming fall in the number of wild tigers. The summit had issued St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation where Governments of tiger populated countries had vowed to double tiger population by the year 2020.

Background

It is has been founded that in the last century, 97% of all wild tigers had disappeared due to many factors including habitat loss, hunting and poaching, climate change. According to WWF, only 3,890 tigers are left in the world, of them, India with more than 2500 tigers has the highest number.

Causes of decline in their numbers

Poaching and illegal trade: Tigers face poaching for demand of every part of their body from whiskers to tail for traditional Chinese medicines. They fetch high prices in the illegal wildlife trades.
Habitat loss: Clearing of forests for various purposes for agriculture, timber, development activity etchas lead to loss of 93% of natural habitat of tigers. Its habitat has been fragmented, lowering chances of survival. It is also leading to conflict with humans, where both are competing for their own space.
Climate change: Rising sea level as result of climate change is wiping out Sundarbans, one of the last remaining habitats of majestic Royal Bengal tigers.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2018