WORLD TIGER DAY IS OBSERVED to make the citizens of this planet aware about the importance and way of saving tigers. Tigers are part of our environment; they are needed to maintain ecological balance of our environment .
Tiger is a majestic animal found in coastal and inland regions of Asia where healthy forests exist. Unlike lion it moves and hunts alone. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the number of surviving tigers in this planet is below 3500 in tropical rainforests, evergreen forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, savannas, and temperate forests. We lost 80% of our wild tigers just within a century.
Bengal tiger is very distinct in nature, inhabits in India-Bangladesh' contiguous mangrove forest of 10,000 km2 land area. Comparatively Royal Bengal Tiger is the largest in size among other sub-species and also occur in largest number in nature. However, its number is also below 2500 in wild.
Habitat loss is the most fatal reason that has made Tiger an endangered species in IUCN red list. Tigers lost their 93% of their historic range due to human-tiger conflict, environmental change and climate change.
Only one tiger can protect around 25,000 acres of forest says WWF research. Saving tigers and saving forest is synonymous as we need to protect the forest habitats across Asia where they live. By saving biologically diverse places, we allow tigers to roam and protect the many other endangered species that live there. As the top predator, the tiger plays a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems of Mangroves in Bangladesh that supply both nature and people with fresh water, food, and health -- which means by saving the tiger, we are helping people. The existence of Royal Bengal tiger depends on the geographic coverage, undisturbed forest environment and bio-species. Thus conservation of Tiger needs conservation of Sundarbans, its ecosystems and species. First of all, we need to Protect and Connect Tiger Habitats making lives of tigers easy. However, without true political will and its implementation we can achieve very little in tiger conservation. Governments of tiger range countries need to engage more resources for elimination of trade in tiger parts which ultimately eliminate poaching. Government of Bangladesh and India need to work more coherently in this regard. We need to mobilise more fund and program of activities for tiger conservation from international to local level. At Individual level, we, rich people of the first world countries need to boycott tiger products so that illegal business is stopped automatically.

The writer is an environmental professional and conservationist.
E-mail: [email protected]