Guwahati: The majestic tiger is one of the most vibrant animals across the world and International Tiger Day is marked on July 29 every year to raise awareness about the declining population of the wild cats as well as conservation efforts.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, there was a sharp decline in the number of wild cats globally. However, the situation has improved considerably with the increase in their number.
Tiger is most beautifully described by William Blake on his strikingly powerful poem "Tyger". In his poem, Blake deconstructs all the wondrous aspects of a tiger in order to better understand nature. He expressed Tigers are the most 'beautiful, powerful and terrifying creatures of God'.
In good news for India, Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday informed that the nation has 70 percent of world's tiger population. The Union Minister also released a tiger census.
Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has called for spreading greater awareness on the importance of the beasts in the ecosystem. "On International Tiger Day today, let us spread greater awareness on the importance of protecting tigers and the crucial role they play in preserving the ecosystems in which they live in", Naidu wrote.
The tiger inhabitants within India has grown from 1,400 in 2014 to 2,967 in 2019. Madhya Pradesh has a maximum variety of tigers at 526. Karnataka has 524 tigers and Uttarakhand has 442 tigers.
Meanwhile, Indian President Ramnath Kovind has appreciated the nation's efforts in doubling the tiger population. "On #InternationalTigerDay, the world lauds India's momentous success in doubling tiger population in 12 years. I compliment National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Institute of India, State Forest Depts, forest officers & all stakeholders for this feat #IndiasTigerSuccess", Mr. Kovind wrote on Twitter.