SPEECH ON INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY

The tiger – the largest of the world’s big cats and this
magnificent creature has a day dedicated to it. That is
today – July 29. The International Tiger Day.
The day has been created so that people around the
world can raise awareness for tiger conservation. The
aim of the day is to help promote a worldwide system
whereby we are dedicated to protecting tigers and
their natural habitats.
There are a number of threats that are driving tigers
close to extinction. Some of them are poaching, conflict
with humans, and habitat loss.
Every part of the tiger from tail to skin to nail is traded
in the illegal market for very high values, which makes
tigers vulnerable to poaching, one of the key threats to
their existence. Poaching and illegal trade is very
worrying one.
97 percent of the world tiger population perished in
the last 100 years and according to the latest statistics
only 3890 tigers are left in this world, out of which
2226 are in India
Destruction of tiger population is very much symbolic
and is also a glaring indicator about the massive
deforestation happening across the world. If tigers get
extinct from our forests, we not only lose a species
that is essential to many ecosystems, but it also means
that enough forest habitat has been destroyed which
can endanger many other species.
Man is the most dangerous animal that has ever lived
on the planet! That is what is written in a zoo at
Lusaka, in Zambia. No other animal has done so much
damage to the planet as man! The innocent animals in
the forests have been dragged to the verge of
extinction. Still his hunger is unsatisfied!
The price of human greed is being paid by poor,
innocent animals. If you want to know the sad tales of
miseries of animals and injustices being done to them
by man, do watch Animal Planet or BBC Earth by Sony.
You will be shuddered to know how these innocent,
speechless creatures are being butchered by local men
and poachers.
For us, tigers are the symbol of wild life’s fight for
survival. It reminds us the eminent dangers we face
because of man’s greed and over exploitation of our
mother nature. Hence it’s an opportunity as well. Many
efforts are on its way to double the tiger population by
2022. Most tiger reserves across the world are now
declared as protected and are heavily guarded. Strict
national and international laws are in place against
poaching and trading of tiger parts. As a result, the
number of tigers in the wild rose for the first time in
more than 100 years. Even though this is just a
marginal increase, it’s a huge symbolic victory in our
efforts against the destruction of forests and wildlife.
It’s very important that we all join together in this
effort, not only to save tigers, but to save our forests
and its precious inhabitants.