Tigers are the largest living felines and are synonymous with power and agility. They catch and kill their prey with a single blow and are at the top of the food chain. This means that they are not threatened by other species… except humans. Today, 29 July, is International Tiger Day, an occasion to raise awareness of the risks facing this species.
This year also sees the conclusion of Tx2, the international project promoted by WWF in 2010 that has brought together the thirteen nations that still host wild tigers with the goal of doubling their numbers by 2022, the Chinese year of the tiger. WWF’s latest report, “Impact on Tiger Recovery 2010-2022“, states that the trend of tiger decline has been reversed (although their numbers have by no means doubled), leaving a glimmer of hope. Today there are between 3,726 and 5,578 tigers, unevenly distributed in 11 different countries (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Russia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia). The largest population is found in India, with 2,226 tigers counted. Their distribution range, however, continues to decline, and tigers are now forced to remain in an area that is only 5 percent of their historic range.
It is crucial to continue to take action along these lines, for although there has been an increase in the number of tigers, the species remains listed by IUCN as endangered and the threats to them are still real. Poachers hunt both tigers and the prey on which they feed. Urbanisation and expansion of agricultural land have also caused the range of these mammals to shrink by 96 percent over the past 100 years. Up to that time, an estimated 100,000 wild tigers were moving in the wild. Restoring destroyed habitats is, therefore, a priority today, just as connecting existing protected areas together is. Involving local people in all tiger restocking efforts remains of paramount importance.
