On July 29, 2010, International Tiger day was created at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, and now annually, July 29 is considered as World Tiger Day. The aim of the day is to raise awareness about tiger conservation and to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitat of the wild animal.
Why Wild Tiger Is Important?
Tiger is not just another fascinating wild animal living in some far away forest. Tiger is one of the most important animals in the wild. It is a unique animal which plays a focal role in the health and diversity of the ecosystem. Tigers are at the top of the food chain. If there are no tigers, then the ecosystem will collapse.
As a top predator, tigers are central to proper ecosystem functioning. When an ecosystem lacks large zoology (predator) population, then the population of herbivores (animals that feed on plants) grows at alarmingly fast rates. The fact, in turn, means that they need more and more plants to feed on, which causes irremediable (hopeless) damage and leaves the ecosystem out of balance. And because of that, there will not be enough food left for human. The absence or decrease of tigers identifies an unhealthy ecosystem.
Therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem. It is not just about saving the beautiful animal. It is about making sure that we live a little longer as the forest are known to provide ecological services, like clean air, water, pollination, temperature, regulation, etc.
How Many Tigers Are Left?
According to worldwildlife.org, only 3900 tigers are left in the world. In some countries, the tiger population is stable, like India, Nepal, Russia, and Indonesia. But in some areas like Southeast Asia, tigers are still in crisis and declining in number.
Countries with the highest number of wild tiger (2017):
- India – 2226
- Russia – 433
- Indonesia- 371
- Malaysia- 250
- Nepal- 198 tigers