International Tiger Day, also called the Global Tiger Day is annually observed across the globe on 29 July to highlight the importance of tiger conservation across the globe.
- Aim : To promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers, raising public awareness about the threats they face, and supporting tiger conservation issues.
- 29 July 2024 marks the observance of the 14th International Tiger Day.
Note: The scientific name of Tiger is Panthera tigris and it belongs to the genus Panthera.
Background:
i.International Tiger Day was established during the International Tiger Conservation Forum, a high-level Tiger Summit held in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 2010.
- The 1st Global Tiger Day was observed on 29 July 2011.
ii.During the Summit, 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) signed the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation, proclaiming 29 July of every year as Global Tiger Day.
iii.Global Tiger Day is supported and observed by several worldwide institutions like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Smithsonian Institute, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Key Points:
i.The government of the 13 TRCs endorsed the declaration and agreed to create Tx2 (Tiger times 2), a global goal to double the global tiger population across their range by 2022.
- The 13 TRCs were Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
ii.According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species Assessment in 2022, the global tiger population is estimated to be between 3,726 to 5,578 wild tigers in Asia, with an average of 4,500 individuals.
- This is a 40% increase from 2015 and could be the first increase in the species’ numbers in decades.
iii.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies Tigers as Endangered.
- Since 2017, the IUCN has recognized 2 tiger subspecies, commonly referred to as the continental tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and the Sunda island tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica).
Current Status of Tigers in India:
i.As per the 5th cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation(AITE) 2022 summary report, India has a minimum of 3,167 tigers, representing over 70% of the world’s wild tiger population.
ii.Advanced statistical models estimate the upper limit of India’s tiger population at 3,925, with an average of 3,682 tigers.
iii.India has achieved a commendable Annual Growth Rate (AGR) of 6.1% in its tiger population.
- It has been achieved through the efforts of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), and state governments.
iv.The tiger reserves of India were set up in 1973 and are governed by Project Tiger, which is administrated by the NTCA.
International Recognition of Tiger Reserves:
In 2022-23, several Indian tiger reserves received international accolades. The Pench Tiger Reserves, along with the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, were jointly awarded the prestigious Tx2 award.
- This award is presented by a consortium of international organizations, including the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), IUCN, WWF, and Global Tiger Forum (GTF).
Declaration /Accreditation:
i.The declaration of the new Veerangana Durgavati tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh has increased the total number of tiger reserves in India to 54.
- These reserves collectively cover more than 78,000 square kilometers, accounting for over 2.30% of India’s geographical area.
ii.The 6 additional tiger reserves in India have received Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS)accreditation: Tadoba-Andhari, Melghat, Navegaon-Nagzira in Maharashtra, Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Kali in Karnataka, and Periyar in Kerala.
- With these new additions, a total of 23 tiger reserves in India have achieved CA|TS accreditation.
International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) :
During a commemorative program of 50 years of Project Tiger, the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched in 2023 for the conservation of 7 big cats: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
- It aims to enhance global cooperation to protect these species across their natural habitats.
About the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC):
Union Minister– Bhupender Yadav (Alwar, Rajasthan)
Minister of State (MoS)- Kirti Vardhan Singh (Gonda, Uttar Pradesh(UP))
