Celebrating Global Tiger Day – July 29th

Global Tiger Day is July 29, and will be celebrated around the world with special ceremonies, youth rallies, and educational activities to help bring the message of tiger conservation to remote villages in the Hukaung Valley in Myanmar all the way to Dhaka, Bangladesh, and even in Washington, DC.

The 13 tiger range countries declared Global Tiger Day at the Global Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2010 to gain support for the Global Tiger Recovery Program, the global strategy to conserve wild tigers and their natural habitats, and raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation, and celebrate the iconic cat.

Many national parks departments and zoos in tiger range countries are celebrating Tiger Day. Bangladesh will hold activities not only in Dhaka, but in smaller communities near the Sundarbans, while Bhutan and Myanmar are organizing tiger exhibits and educational lectures in remote areas near tiger habitat to help gain communities’ support for conservation. Malaysia and Nepal have also announced plans to hold official celebrations for this once a year occasion.

Here in Washington, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo will host the celebration, open to the public, outside the Great Cats Exhibit at the Zoo (10:00am – 2:00pm, Rain or Shine). Kids and parents too are invited for a day of activities, games, face paintings, and tiger conservation talks. For more details, see the Smithsonian Zoo website

The Global Tiger Initiative Secretariat and other NGO partners will set up tents with information and multimedia displays all in view of the Great Cats Exhibit, where one of the Zoo’s newest residents, a 10-year old male Sumatran tiger from the Atlanta Zoo, just might peek out from his sleeping quarters!

Press Release – Smithsonian’s National Zoo hosts celebration of Global Tiger Day