Every year on July 29, the world celebrates International Tiger Day. This particular day is dedicated to promoting tiger conservation. Tigers are the largest of the world's big cats, and they play an important role in our environment. The day is set to raise awareness about the risks that these amazing, gorgeous animals face, and why it's critical that they're protected for future generations.
However, tigers are confronting an increasingly dire survival situation. The global population of wild tigers has plummeted from 100,000 to a few thousand in the last century. According to the World Conservation Union's (IUCN) 2022 Red List of Endangered Species, there are currently 3,726-5,578 tigers in the wild globally.
According to the preliminary survey data released by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CGDF) in July 2022, there are about 7,116 tigers in China, including four subspecies of Siberian tiger, Bengal tiger, South China tiger and Indo Chinese tiger. About 55 wild Siberian tigers are distributed in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, and 14-20 Indo Chinese tigers are distributed in the wild in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Here is a compilation of several tiger species from around the world to remind us of the need of protecting these priceless animals.
A tigress strolls down a dusty track with her four cubs walking in a line alongside her as the population of wild tigers is once again on the rise. Deep in the heart of the Indian jungle, 100km from the nearest village, the family are safe from human interference.
A Bengal Tiger looks through glass as water is sprayed to keep it cool at the national zoological garden in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
An 11-year-old Siberian tiger is seen in his enclosure at Leningrad Zoo during a celebration marking Harvest Day.
A Siberian tiger gestures at the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, in China's northeastern Heilongjiang Province, on January 6, 2023.
(All photos via VCG.)
(If you have specific expertise and want to contribute, or if you have a topic of interest that you'd like to share with us, please email us at nature@cgtn.com.)