Save The Tiger!

Tiger - The National Animal Of India

Tigers are on the threshold of extinction. According to WWF, Tigers are amongst the ten most endangered species in the world. Over the last century more than 95% of the Tiger population has been wiped out & three sub-species are already extinct. Less than 3500 tigers remain in the wild today with around 50% in India & their numbers are declining fast.

Human welfare and economic development in Asia depends on the same clean water, clean air, natural flood controls and other forest resources that tigers need. At the turn of the 20th century, according to sources, India had an estimated 40,000 tigers in the wild. In 2002, based on pug mark census, this number was 3,642. As per the monitoring exercise by Wildlife Institute of India in association with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India using camera traps, in 2008 we were left with only 1,411 tigers. This number is so small that they will be gone soon if we don’t wake up to the crisis.

The tiger is not just a charismatic species. It's not just a wild animal living in some forest either. The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. It is a top predator and is at the apex of the food chain and keeps the population of wild ungulates in check, thereby maintaining the balance between prey herbivores and the vegetation upon which they feed. Therefore the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem. The extinction of this top predator is an indication that its ecosystem is not sufficiently protected, and neither would it exist for long thereafter.

If the tigers go extinct, the entire system would collapse. For e.g. when the Dodos went extinct in Mauritius, one species of Acacia tree stopped regenerating completely. So when a species goes extinct, it leaves behind a scar, which affects the entire ecosystem. Another reason why we need to save the tiger is that our forests are water catchment areas.

When we protect one tiger, we protect about a 100 sq. km of area and thus save other species living in its habitat. Therefore, it’s not just about saving a beautiful animal. It is about making sure that we live a little longer as the forests are known to provide ecological services like clean air, water, pollination, temperature regulation etc. This way, our planet can still be home to our children.

International Tiger Day

On September 23, 2000 a few dozen school children and parents dressed up as tigers and endangered wildlife to parade in the streets in Vladivostok. Their aim was to educate people about the dangers facing tigers and other wild animals in the Russian Far East. What they did not know is that their efforts would strike such a chord with the people of Vladivostok and others around the world that just 5 years later, their festival would be an annual city holiday with over 3,000 participants in Vladivostok alone and that every year their efforts would inspire many similar public displays of affection for tigers around the world.

Tiger Day was started by The Phoenix Fund, a Russian non-governmental organization sponsored by Save The Tiger Fund and other international donors. Since then it has been a rallying point for other tiger conservation efforts around the world. In 2003, 21st Century Tiger and AMUR encouraged European and Russian zoos to adopt and promote the concept as an awareness creation and fundraising tool for tiger conservation. In 2005 the Campaign Against Tiger Trafficking was launched on international tiger day, while ceremonies around the world drew diverse public support, including a group of local Shamans on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. In the Russian Far East, Tiger Day is as popular as ever, just last year, during the month of September, tiger day celebrations occurred in 6 different cities in the province of Primorye.

September 27th 2009 marked the 9th year anniversary of International Tiger Day.

Go out loud and tell others that tigers are dying and that they need our help.


The wilderness is to be experienced and not to be disturbed and polluted. Follow the forest department guidelines when visiting any wilderness area, tiger reserve in particular. As the saying goes ‘Don’t leave anything behind except foot steps, and don’t take anything except memories.’