International Tiger Day 2022: International Tiger Day is celebrated annually on July 29 as a pledge to conserve the lives and habitats of these awe-inspiring, majestic animals. The fierce, striped creature needs to be protected and conserved in order to prevent them from being extinct.
History Of International Tiger Day:
Owing to the alarming drop in the population of wild tigers by more than 95%, a historic event occurred on July 29, 2010, when several nations grouped together to protect these tigers.
In 2010, Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit saw the birth of such a famous movement in Russia. Several nations vowed to work together to increase public awareness of the tigers' declining numbers, implement serious conservation measures, and prevent their extinction. This initiative was named as TX2 initiative.
The primary goal of these nations was to increase the tiger population twofold by 2020.
Significance of International Tiger Day:
The purpose of International Tiger Day is to create a global network devoted to safeguarding tigers and their natural habitats. By providing tigers with a secure and flourishing habitat, we also protect other species and our forests.
The WWF wants to see 6000 tigers roaming freely in the wild by 2022.
The TX2 Initiative's objective was accomplished by India and Nepal. According to an article posted on the WWF website on January 26th, 2022 some locations in Nepal and India reached their goal of doubling the habitat population.
Sathayamanglam Tiger Reserve in India and Bardia National Park in Nepal are two of the regions that received TX2 awards. The award for excellence in tiger conservation was given to the Khata forest reservation in Nepal.
Highlights of International Tiger Day 2022 also include a three-fold increase in the world's largest tiger reserve in China and Russia. With the aid of the Spatial Monitor and Report Tool, Bhutan's Royal Manas National Park monitors the expansion of its population.
Through International Tiger Day, we can work toward a time when tigers and people can co-exist in harmony.
Factors Responsible For Decline Of Tiger Population
Habitat loss, climate change, hunting, and poaching are only some of the factors that are responsible for the decline in the tiger population.
Habitat Loss: Because of human activity, the natural habitat of tigers has been degraded, scattered, and destroyed. As a result, they have lost about 95% of their historical range. Some of the human activities that contribute to the loss of their habitat include development projects, the construction of road networks, and the clearing of forests for agriculture and logging.
Climate Change: The largest population of tigers reside in the Sundarbans- a large mangrove forest area on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean. Rising sea levels due to global warming, threaten to wipe out these mangrove forests and the remaining habitat of the tiger population. Without a place to live and hunt, the tigers would die from starvation and are easy targets for poachers.
According to a WWF study, without mitigation efforts, projected sea level rise—nearly a foot by 2070—could destroy nearly the entire Sundarbans tiger habitat.
Hunting, Illegal trade and poaching: Tigers have been hunted for more than a thousand years as a status symbol, and for use in traditional Asian medicines. They have also been hunted for use as souvenirs, as wall and floor coverings, and as decorative items. Tigers were prized for their skins, which were used to make pricey coats and as trophies. Up until the 1930s, the biggest decline in tiger populations was probably caused by sport hunting.