About International Tiger Day:
- It is observed on July 29 each year.
- It serves as a platform to raise awareness about tiger conservation.
- It is celebrated worldwide to promote comprehensive efforts in safeguarding tigers and their natural habitats, fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and tigers.
- Theme of International Tiger Day 2025: “Securing the future of Tigers with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at the heart”.
- History of International Tiger Day:
- Global Tiger Day, commonly referred to as International Tiger Day, was established during the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia in 2010.
- The summit brought together 13 tiger-range countries, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia, and Russia, following alarming reports that only around 3,000 tigers remained in the wild.
- The participating nations adopted the “Tx2” goal at the summit, which aimed to double the global tiger population by 2022 through joint conservation efforts and stronger protection laws.
- The 29th of July was chosen as International Tiger Day because it represents the halfway point between the first and last days of the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit and the ongoing international campaign to rescue tigers.
Tiger Population in India:
- India now supports the world’s largest tiger population.
- While holding only 18% of the world’s tiger habitat, and facing the highest human density among tiger-range countries, India accounts for 75% of the world’s wild tigers.
- More than 3,600 tigers now roam the country’s forests, double the number recorded just over a decade ago.
- These tigers live across 138,200 sq.km. of forest, roughly half the size of the UK, often sharing the land with 60 million people.
- This success comes from decades of conservation efforts, particularly under a national initiative known as Project Tiger.
