International Tiger Day being observed today

Today is International Tiger Day. The day is held annually on 29th July to give worldwide attention to the reservation of tigers. It was founded in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, with the aim to double the big cat population by 2022. The world has lost 97 per cent of all wild tigers in a little over 100 years. According to the World Wildlife Fund and the Global Tiger Forum, the number of wild tigers has gone up to 3,890 from the earlier 2010 estimate of 3200. The number of tigers was 1 lakh in 1915. Some species of tigers have already been extinct. According to reports of United Nations Environment Programme and Interpol, the environmental crime industry, which includes illegal trade in wildlife, is worth 258 billion dollars. India leads tiger population countries with an estimated population of 2,226. Despite countries such as India, Nepal, Russia and Bhutan registering a rise in tiger population, the status of the animal remains endangered. Poaching has been the biggest threat to tigers in India. 81 tigers were victims to poachers in 2014, 25 in 2015 and by April this year it was 28.