International Tiger Day | Tiger Characteristics | Tiger Habitat | Distribution | Conservation

International Tiger Day is also called Global Tiger Day. This day has been celebrated on 29 July every year since 2010. This day aims to raise awareness about this endangered big cat and Tiger Conservation. It also highlights the importance of the tiger in the ecosystem and the protection of Tiger habitat. Tiger protects the genetic diversity in the forests. It is an indicator of a healthy forest. In addition, it helps to maintain the population of herbivores. Therefore tiger conservation is necessary to maintain the ecosystem. It is called an umbrella species. Moreover, tigers became the symbol of the protection of all species. Due to the variety of unique Tiger characteristics, they are distinguished from other big cats.

History of International Tiger Day – Global Tiger Day

International Tiger Day or Global Tiger Day was first created in 2010 during the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia. This summit brought 13 representatives of tiger range countries together to discuss strategies for tiger conservation. These countries include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The participants of this summit adopted the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP). GTRP aimed to double the population of Tigers by 2022. This is the TX2 Initiative.

This summit was under the Global Tiger Initiative. World Bank launched this initiative in 2008 to address the alarming decline in tiger populations. However, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is putting efforts into the TX2 initiative. The first International Tiger Day or Global Tiger Day was celebrated on July 29, 2011.

Tiger Characteristics

Tigers belong to the Genus Panthera. They are the largest cat species worldwide. Their size varies among subspecies. They have a cline morphology. Cline means the gradual changes in the physical characteristics of a species over a geographical area.

Tigers have cline morphology in the variation of size, coat color, and stripe patterns across different populations and subspecies. Therefore, tiger species in their geographical distribution may look different in size, color, etc. The largest tigers have been found in the North and gradually becoming smaller in the South.

Body Strength

They have a muscular body to capture and kill large prey. They have longer hind legs than their front legs. The bones of their front legs are very strong to support in capturing the prey.

They have a large and rounded skull. A rounded skull provides more support for their powerful jaws. Their powerful jaw muscles are attached to a bony ridge on top of the skull called the Sagittal crest. This structure provides additional surface area for muscle attachment. It also enhances the strength of the tiger’s bite. They have the sharpest and largest canines of all big cats. They use these canines for puncturing and gripping the prey. These teeth are crucial for delivering the fatal bite, typically to the neck or throat.

The combination of strong jaws, specialized teeth, and robust structural features enables tigers to efficiently hunt and consume their prey. However, these tiger characteristics ensure their survival in the wild.

Paws and Body Color Pattern

They have large padded feet. Due to, padded feet, they are able to silently stalk prey in the Asian jungles. They have retractable claws. The size of the claws is up to 4cm in length.

The specialized claw is called a dewclaw. Tigers Use dewclaws for grasping prey and aid in climbing. In addition, these claws are curved which helps them to grasp and hold a large prey. On the other hand, these curved claws are a big hindrance in climbing down from trees. Therefore, they are the most inferior climbers of the big cat family.

Among the Tiger characteristics, body color is also interesting. They have reddish-orange coats with prominent black stripes. These vertical black stripes are unique to each individual. These stripes are like human fingerprints. These stripes provide camouflage in their natural habitats. However, the underbelly, inner sides of the limbs, and parts of the face are usually white or light in color.

Tiger Habitat and Distribution

Tiger habitat include tropical rainforests, Grasslands, Savannahs, evergreen forests, mangrove swamps, and rocky areas. They are highly adaptable in their habitat. They are distributed across several countries in Asia. However, their range has significantly decreased over the past century due to tiger habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Currently, they exist in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Tiger Conservation and International Tiger Day 

Tigers in Pakistan almost became extinct. Tiger populations are critically endangered in many countries. So, tiger conservation efforts are needed to protect and restore their habitats. It is necessary to prevent further decline in their population. However, internationally they are protected under CITES. As well as Global Tiger Forum is also working for tiger protection. This organization is working to increase the number of secure habitats for tiger conservation. Global Tiger Day also raises awareness about Tiger Conservation.

Editor In Chief

Dr. Jassar Aftab is a qualified Veterinarian having expertise in veterinary communication. He is a renowned veterinary Journalist of Pakistan. He is veterinary columnist, veterinary writer and veterinary analyst. He is the author of three books. He has written a number of articles and columns on different topics related to livestock, dairy, poultry, wildlife, fisheries, food security and different aspects of animal sciences and veterinary education.

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