World
The number of tigers in the wild around the world have dropped by over 95 percent since the 20th century began. Shocking, but true.
Updated : Jul 29, 2021, 11:35 AM IST | Edited by : Chitresh Sehgal
Every year, July 29 is celebrated as the International Tiger Day to raise awareness around the need for tiger conservation around the globe. The global population of the magnificent big cat were declining for over a century.
Tigers have been severely affected by man-made problems like illegal poaching and wildlife trade, habitat loss and human conflict.
But 2021 is special because it is the first time in the history of tiger conservation that their numbers in the wild are on the rise.
As awareness increased, conservation efforts have reaped some rewards. The population of tigers globally today stands at 3,900.
PRESS RELEASE: Global Tiger Day (29 July) marks uneven progress towards the global goal to double wild tigers by 2022.
— WWF Tigers (@WWF_tigers) July 28, 2021
WWF calls for an urgent plan to recover Southeast Asia's tiger.
Find out more >> https://t.co/PCL8uohwA9#TX2 #globaltigerday pic.twitter.com/sct7RohW3v
Where are the tigers in the world today?
The tiger footprint has dramatically decreased and today their range is limited to only seven percent of the area they originally covered. Tigers today live in the wild in grasslands and isolated forests in 13 countries.
As per WWF, the population of tigers in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia and China is either stable or increasing as per best available information. However, tiger population is “still in crisis in some areas, including much of southeast Asia.”
India is home to 70 percent of the world’s tigers in the wild. On International Tiger Day 2021, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the country's commitment to the cause of tiger conservation.
On #InternationalTigerDay, greetings to wildlife lovers, especially those who are passionate about tiger conservation. Home to over 70% of the tiger population globally, we reiterate our commitment to ensuring safe habitats for our tigers and nurturing tiger-friendly eco-systems. pic.twitter.com/Fk3YZzxn07
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 29, 2021
Facts about tigers
Work left to do
In an ambitious move, WWF has put forward a target to not just save the tiger but double its population to more than 6,000 by 2022, which is also the Chinese year of the Tiger.
However, a big problem his juvenile mortality in tigers with 50 percent of all cubs not surviving for more than two years.