It was on this date in 2010, that the first International Tiger Day was celebrated. This was a day that was established right before the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit to protect the environment of tigers globally and raise public awareness of tiger conservation. One of the biggest problems globally is tiger poaching (which can be worth $25,000 to $50,000). A hundred years ago, tigers in the wild numbered about 100,000. In 2010, the numbers had gone down to about 3200.
Various zoos will be having events to celebrate, so be sure to see if your zoo will be. There is also another holiday like this in September, so you might check then, too.
Interestingly enough, poachers seem to go after tiger prey more than the tigers themselves. When the tiger's prey diminishes, it also affect the tiger's survival. One tiger needs to eat at least the equivalent of a medium-sized deer every other week to survive. As their prey diminishes, so does the tiger population.
A lot of conservation efforts are happening worldwide. Celebrities and the like have pledged a lot of money towards this conservation effort.
For more information, check out these links:
Picture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevenlaw/2955709886/
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