International Tiger Day 

9th July is observed as International Tiger Day (ITD) to promote the conservation of the striped cat as well as to advocate a global system for protecting its natural habitats. 

ITD was established in 2010 at St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia in order to raise awareness about the decline of wild tiger numbers, leaving them on the brink of extinction, and to encourage the work of Tiger Conservation.

From the brink of extinction to now becoming Home to 70% of The Global Population, the Centre told the SC that India has achieved grand success in saving tigers.

Key Points Related to Tiger

Scientific Name: Panthera tigris

Indian Sub Species: Panthera tigris tigris.

29 July Important Day

It is the largest cat species and a member of the genus Panthera.

Traditionally eight subspecies of tigers have been recognized, out of which three are extinct.

Bengal Tigers: Indian Subcontinent

Caspian tiger: Turkey through central and west Asia (extinct).

Amur tiger: Amur Rivers region of Russia and China, and North Korea

Javan tiger: Java, Indonesia (extinct).

South China tiger: South central China.

Bali tiger: Bali, Indonesia (extinct).

Sumatran tiger: Sumatra, Indonesia.

Indo-Chinese tiger: Continental south-east Asia.

Threats

Habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and poaching.

Protection Status:

Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Endangered.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I.

Status o f Tiger Population in India

There are currently between 3,726 and 5,578 tigers in the wild worldwide, according to the latest figures by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Tiger populations are stable or increasing in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia and China.

India is home to over 70 % of the global tiger population.

India has achieved the remarkable feat of doubling the tiger population in 2018 itself, 4 years ahead of the targeted year 2022 of the St. Petersburg Declaration on tiger conservation.

According to the tiger census (2018) – conducted once every four years – India has a tiger population of 2,967.