INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY 2021

WHY IN THE NEWS?

29^th July 2021, International Tiger Day which is also known as World Tiger Day is observed annually.

About:

• This day is observed to create and spread awareness about the dangers faced by the tiger population of the world.
• It is very important to focus on the conservation of tigers as they play an important role in maintaining and protecting a balanced ecosystem.
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) states that since tigers are the top predators, they play a very important role in maintaining the planet’s ecosystems harmony.
• By preying on the herbivore population, tigers have helped to keep the balance between the forest vegetation and the animals.

History of International Tiger Day

In the year 2010, in Russia, the first World Tiger Day was observed at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. A total of thirteen countries with tiger range banded together and decided upon a global goal to double the wild tiger’s population by the year 2022.

Significance of International Tiger Day

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says that at the beginning of the 20^th century there were around 1,00,000 tigers. In the year 2010, it was observed that the number has drastically reduced to 3,200. Therefore, it is very important to save the tiger population of the world. Hence, International Tiger Day plays an important role by creating and spreading awareness and works for the conservation of tigers.

Tiger Population in India

According to the All India Tiger Estimation Report of 2018, the tiger population in India is 2967.