International Tiger Day (also known as Global Tiger Day) is an international observance established to raise awareness about the plight of endangered wild tigers and the importance of their conservation. It was instituted by representatives from tiger-range countries who gathered at the "Tiger Summit" held in Russia in November 2010. The initiative aims to restore wild tiger populations, protect their natural habitats through global systems, and create environments where humans and tigers can coexist.
What kind of animal is it?
Tigers belong to the genus *Panthera* within the Felidae (cat) family and are among the largest of all wild felids. Their most distinctive physical feature is a coat of yellow or reddish-brown fur marked with black vertical stripes—patterns that are unique to each individual. They inhabit forests, shrublands, and wetlands, living solitary lives within large territories. Possessing exceptional physical prowess, they are carnivores that prey on large mammals; unlike most members of the cat family, they are also adept swimmers.
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Details
The establishment of International Tiger Day in 2010 was driven by a critical situation: the wild tiger population, estimated at around 100,000 in the early 20th century, had plummeted by approximately 97% over the course of a century, dropping to just 3,200 individuals. The primary causes of this drastic decline include habitat fragmentation and loss due to deforestation and human development, climate change, and poaching and illegal trade driven by the demand for tiger bones and skins. At the time of the 2010 Tiger Summit, thirteen tiger-range countries—including India, Russia, Nepal, Thailand, and Indonesia—participated and adopted the international "Tx2" goal: to double the wild tiger population by 2022, the next "Year of the Tiger." Working toward this objective, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), various other wildlife conservation organizations, and national governments collaborated on concrete conservation activities. These included strengthening anti-poaching measures, securing habitat corridors to connect fragmented areas, and mitigating conflicts between tigers and local communities living near their habitats.
As a result of these sustained efforts, wild tiger populations increased as targeted in countries such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Russia; surveys conducted from 2022 onwards have confirmed a global recovery in the estimated wild tiger population to approximately 5,500 individuals. However, some regions in Southeast Asia continue to face population declines and the risk of local extinction, and the species remains classified as Endangered (EN) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Every year on July 29—International Tiger Day—zoos and conservation organizations around the world host various educational events and awareness-raising activities. In tiger-range countries, these include reports on wild tiger monitoring results and future challenges, as well as initiatives designed to help consumers understand how their consumption habits contribute to deforestation in tiger habitats.
Reference
WWF Japan: What is World Tiger Day (International Tiger Day)? [JP]
IUCN Red List: Panthera tigris
Wikipedia: World Tiger Day