International Tiger Day 2020: Interesting Facts About The Majestic Wild Cats That You Should Know

Tiger, one of the most revered and fierce creatures out there in the wild, is also equally vulnerable. Conflicts with humans, poaching and shrinking, have made this famous member of cat family carry a threat of extinction for the majority of the last two decades so. The International Tiger Day is an annual event celebrated on the 29th of July each year to raise awareness about the conservation of this majestic animal. With tiger numbers dropping to a shocking 95% since the turn of the 20th century, it is imperative the government and non-government bodies unite in their effort to save the tiger. The idea was conceived at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010, and every year, several initiatives are taken to make the event a grand success. On International Tiger Day 2020, Twitterati Share 'Save The Tiger' Messages With Beautiful Pictures Of The Wild Cats And Pledge For Their Conservation.

On World Tiger Day, we take a look at some fascinating facts about Tigers.

• Tigers are the largest cat species in the world and the third-largest carnivore on the planet. A Siberian Tiger is believed to weigh in the range of 660 pounds.
• There are more tigers in captivity as compared to out there in the wild. An astonishing 5000 to 10000 tigers are kept in Zoos, circus, homes in USA.
• Tigers live the majority of their life in isolation and do not have groups like lions. They are incredibly aggressive when it comes to defending their territory.
• Tiger ‘s have longer hind legs in comparison to its front legs which gives it a leap of 30 feet in one jump. It tail which can grow to about three feet helps in balancing.
• The tiger pattern gives it unique characteristics as no two tigers have the same stripe pattern.
• Tiger does not have a perfect kill rate with one kill in at least twenty attempts. It is hard to fathom this fact, considering how we seem them maul animals are large as cows.
• Tigers in the wild have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years while the one in captivity can live up to 20 years.
• Tigers clean their wounds using their tongue, which has antiseptic property. At the same time the tongue can be so rough it can rip meat off its prey.
• Tiger like spending time near water bodies and often spend 18 hours of their time sleeping.
• The Siberian Tiger if not protected, can extinct in the next decade or so.

  It is hard to comprehend a world without tigers in it, and it is the responsibility of every nation to contribute to saving Tigers. India is leading the efforts with a significant increase in Tiger numbers in the latest consensus.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 29, 2020 09:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).