Global Tiger Day, also known as International Tiger Day is celebrated on 29th July every year. 29th July was declared as Global Tiger Day at the annual Tiger summit in St.Petersburgh in 2010. This day is observed to create awareness about the rapid decrease in Tiger numbers worldwide. This event also aims at gathering more support from the people for Tiger Conservation.
Forest department of many states and NTCA celebrates the day and conducts various programs for both common public and officials. The aim is to make people aware of the long term ill-effects that might come up because of the extinction of Tigers. This year the Global Tiger Day comes with great news as there has been an increase in the overall Tiger population in India. Jim Corbett National Park's survey showed an upward trend in the Tiger number and now the parking area boasts a healthy population of 206 Tigers, as recorded by the Camera traps set up by WWF in the parking area. Keep in mind that there are many Tigers which still might give a miss to these cameras and sub-adults are not counted in the census as the mortality rate is high among Tiger cubs. Jim Corbett might soon have more than 300 Tigers in near future and thus making Uttarakhand NO-1 in terms of Tiger Population leaving Karnataka behind at NO-2.
But the question is should we celebrate this upward trend in Tiger numbers in India, or should we focus on dwindling Tiger population in the neighboring countries? We have already lost 3 sub-species of Tigers namely Bali, Caspian, and Javan Tigers. Among the 6 species today, South-China and Indo-Chinese species face the threat of extinction, South-China subspecies is said to be less than 50 in number, It is on the list of 10 most endangered species in the world. More than 25 years have passed since the last confirmed sighting of the species.
Habitat Loss and Poaching are the biggest threats to the Tiger population in the wild. It's time to take more concrete steps to resolve the issues before it's too late and the damage is permanent. Stricter laws need to be passed against Skin trade and smuggling of bones and other parts. At the beginning of the century the population was said to be more than 100,000, and the situation today is that the number of caged Tiger is almost double their population in Wild. Let's wake up and unite for a better future of the Big Cat before it's too late, we need to come together if we want this Majestic beast to survive, or else be prepared to the striped beauty to your grandchildren in textbooks and museums.
"Everyone needs a dog to adore him, and a tiger to bring him back to reality."
KapilJuly 29, 2017
Wonderful and very informative article. More stringent rule should be incorporated to stop or obsolete poaching and government should consider the fact to stop constructing high roads decapitating the forest area. A Tiger should be loved as your pet dog or the household cat you hug.