International Tiger Day: Date, Significance And Why It Is Celebrated

Tigers are one of the most majestic creatures of the animal kingdom. From the white tiger, the Royal Bengal tiger, to the Siberian tiger, these wild cats have different species with each of them ruling their habitat with pride. But, with factors like climate change, illegal wildlife trade, and habitat loss, the tiger population is shrinking rapidly.

Hence, July 29 is observed as International Tiger Day to raise awareness of the conservation of this endangered species.

With their predatory instincts, tigers can survive in a variety of natural habitats be it grasslands, tropical rainforests, snowy forests, or even mangrove swamps. But, the number of these magnificent creatures has dropped by more than 95 % since the start of the 20th century. Currently, the total number of tigers living in the wild across the globe is estimated to be around 3,900.

Of this population, India alone is home to around 3,000 wild tigers. This makes it the country with the largest population of wild tigers, according to World Wild Life (WWF).

Wherever they roam in the wild, tigers emerge as the top predators of that region. They prey on other animals and help maintain a balance in the ecosystem. In their absence, the prey population can blow up and in turn harm the environment. Hence, tigers play an instrumental role in the natural food chain.

Climate change is one of those factors that has posed a threat to the tiger population around the world. The warming up of the planet and rising sea levels affect the habitat of tigers and can also impact the number of their prey species. In addition, their shrinking habitat can also force these tigers to wander near human communities which can lead to animal-human conflict.