The Nepal Weekly 
August 1, 2023
Every year on July 29, people all across the world celebrate International Tiger Day. The purpose of the day is to increase public awareness of the value of tiger conservation among citizens, organizations, and governments. The purpose of this day is to make people act responsibly to protect wild cats. International Tiger Day was first observed in 2010, when representatives from all the 13 tiger range countries gathered at St. Petersburg in Russia and vowed to double the big cat in 12 years. The fact that tigers are in the verge of being extinct is not a surprise, and International Tiger Day seeks to prevent the situation from getting worse. The day strives to preserve these species as well as to safeguard and improve their habitats. International Tiger Day is also observed by numerous worldwide organizations, including the WWF, IFAW, and Smithsonian Institution.
The WWF estimates that currently around 4,000 wild cats roam in the forests if Asia. Tigers and humans are increasingly clashing as a result of habitat loss and climate change. Some of the causes of the fall in the tiger population include habitat loss, climate change, lack of pre species and poaching. However, the major threat to the wild animal is poaching and the illegal trading on its body parts, which has medicinal value. Increased instances of poaching and trafficking are being caused by the demand for tiger bones, skin, and other body parts. Localized extinctions are the result, making it nearly impossible for the tiger population to recover. The loss of habitat is another prime cause that has harmed the tiger population. These days tigers and people are increasingly clashing as a result of climate change. The loss of habitat is another important cause for the loss of the tiger population across the tiger range countries.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in a message on the occasion, said that Nepal has succeeded in establishing its identity as the leading country in the world in conservation of tiger and other rare species of wild animals. Nepal had vowed to double the population of tigers from 121 in 2010 to 250 by 2022. It had expressed its commitment in the Tiger Summit attended by the Heads of the State and Governments in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2010. As per the tiger census carried out in 2022, the number of tigers had reached 355 in Nepal. This way, Nepal achieved a great success in the conservation of the jungle cat. While the number of tigers is growing, the increasing number of human-tiger conflicts has been a cause of concern, the PM noted his message. To maintain co-existence between the human and tiger, effective management of protected areas along with abundant availability of prey species is required. Furthermore, there should be improvement in the livelihood of local communities as well.
