The tiger, our national animal and one of the most magnificent creatures in the world, is also one of the most endangered. The species roam proud and without fear in the jungles yet face a serious threat from humans. According to the WWF, tigers are amongst the ten most endangered species on earth.
The animal which is on the threshold of extinction is also the spirit of the Indian jungle, the symbol of India's natural heritage. The tiger plays a key role as it is at the top of the food chain and if the tigers go extinct, the entire eco system would break down.
Saving our tigers means saving the entire forest, including all the other animals in it.Today India has only has 1411 of these magnificent creatures left in the wild.
The main threats to the tiger’s survival include deforestation, poaching, habitat loss and population fragmentation. In recent times the demand of tiger bones from China for the manufacture of medicines and wines has resulted in mass poaching, thereby causing a great alarm regarding the tiger’s survival. New demand across Southeast Asia for the skins, teeth and claws of this ‘big cat’ is endangering the species. The volumes are significant and there is little enforcement action against poachers and dealers who trade these items.
WWF to create a Support Initiative Fund and to work in the protected areas of the Brahmaputra Valley.
The Support Initiative fund will be used to cater to the justified demands of the forest officials, government authorities and local communities in and around Tiger landscapes. These could range from capacity building for government and forest departments, infrastructure development, providing emergency relief to creating awareness on anti-poaching amongst communities.
The work in the protected areas of the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam is instrumental in studying the pressures on the Tiger, identifying priority areas for its dispersal, establishing a database for tiger conservation and training and motivating forest staff.
To raise awareness about the cause and persuade public opinion towards tiger conservation, we undertook a pan-India campaign on TV, Outdoor and digital (www.saveourtigers.com ,www.facebook.com/stripeythecub, www.twitter.com/saveourtigers ).
Taking “Save our Tigers” a step further, we have partnered with Kids for Tigers, the Sanctuary Tiger program. It is an action-based environmental education program in schools across India urging children to protect the tiger and hence the environment. It is important to start early hence our aim is to impart knowledge to school children. This will mobilize them to actively join our endeavor to save the Tiger.
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