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Celebrate International Tiger Day, July 29th. It was founded at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010 to celebrate this majestic animal’s very existence but, more importantly, to try to prevent its total extinction. Many animal welfare organisations pledged to help these wonderful creatures and are still working hard to raise funds to reach this goal. The aim of Tiger Day is to “promote the protection and expansion of the wild tigers’ habitats and gain support through awareness for tiger conservation.”
Bengal Tiger India – photo www.indusexperiences.co.uk
As an English Literature student many years ago, I had to learn “The Tyger”, a poem by the English poet William Blake. It was published as part of his collection Songs of Experience in 1794.
‘The Tyger’ original William Blake printed c 1795
Most modern anthologies have kept Blake’s choice of the spelling “tyger”. It was a common spelling of the word at the time but already “slightly archaic” when he wrote the poem.  Therefore, his choice of “the tyger” is often interpreted as being for effect, perhaps to render an “exotic or alien quality of the beast”,  or because it’s not really about a tiger at all, but a metaphor for beauty in the beast.
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest cat species and the world’s 3rd largest land carnivore Its most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. In zoos, tigers live for 20 to 26 years, which also seems to be their longevity in the wild. They are territorial and generally solitary but social animals, often requiring large  areas of habitat to support their hunting needs.
Of the nine known tiger subspecies, only six now remain in the wild: the Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, Amur (aka Siberian) Sumatran and South China tigers.
The Worldwide Fund For Nature (WWF) is one of the leading organisations working to protect and support the tiger.  They say, “The tiger is the biggest, the most iconic, and also one of the most endangered of all cats. Over the last century wild tiger numbers have fallen disastrously, by more than 95% – mainly due to poaching and the destruction of forests and other habitats they need for survival.”  There are only around 3,200 tigers left in the wild. With our help they aim to double that number by 2022.
There are many places you can see these beautiful animals including local zoos doing important conservation work, such as Cumbria’s South Lakes Wild Animal Park helping to save the Amur Tiger.  And of course there are Tiger Tours that bring much needed money to the poorer regions of the world struggling to maintain their own lifestyles whilst preserving the tiger’s habitat.
Bengal Tiger lying down – photo www.indusexperiences.co.uk
At the end of Yann Martel‘s magically moving story The Life of Pi the last we see of the tiger, Richard Parker, is him slowly disappearing into the jungle and the author writes,  “I wept like a child … I was weeping because Richard Parker had left me so uncermoniously. I wish I had said to him then, ‘Richard Parker, it is over. We have survived … And now go where you must. You will always be in my heart.'”
Tigers will always be in our heart – it is up to us to help them survive …
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Zoë Dawes July 29, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Tigers are simply beautiful and a vibrant part of our linked planet. They must survive …
Diana Brown July 29, 2013 at 5:14 pm
I love that poem.
What a thought provoking book The Life of Pi is. Not an easy read, but a real insight into tiger (and human) behavior. I almost didn’t get past the first section – but so worth persevering.
Zoë Dawes July 31, 2013 at 12:14 pm
So agree re ‘Life of Pi’ Diana – it is a tough start but has some really beautiful writing and a lot of dry humour eg
“I am not one to hold a prejudice against any animal, but it is a plain fact that the spotted hyena is not well served by its appearance. It is ugly beyond redemption …”
Mary @ Green Global Travel August 1, 2013 at 7:17 pm
Interesting article – So sad to know that three of none species are living solely in captivity.
Zoë Dawes August 2, 2013 at 9:09 am
Yes, Mary, it is sad but I suppose we have to be grateful they are not totally extinct. There is some excellent conservatiion work being done but it is an uphill battle. Tigers are a key element in ‘the Circle of Life’ (not just lions!)
Mary @ Green Global Travel August 5, 2013 at 12:33 am
I couldn’t agree more!
Paige M. August 27, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Possibly of interest to your readers, after International Tiger Day:
The Blake Society is accepting entries for its 2013 Tithe Grant competition. This year the award will be given for a single photograph that interprets Blake's famous poem The Tyger.
The prize for the 2013 Award will be £389 (one tenth of our Subscription Income in 2012).
The Judges are the celebrated international photographer Clive Arrowsmith and the poet Ruth Padel, who is the author of Tigers In Red Weather and serves on the Council of the Zoological Society of London and is and a patron of 21st Century Tiger.
To enter, join and upload a photo to the Blake Society Tithe Grant Flickr Group: //www.flickr.com/groups/blake-society-2013-tithe-grant/
Anyone may enter — you need not be a resident of the UK or of the Blake Society.
For further rules and regulations, see the Blake Society website: //www.blakesociety.org/the-tithe-grant/2013-tithe-grant/
All entries must be received by 11:59 pm (GMT) on October 31st, 2013. We look forward to seeing the product of your inspiration!
Zoë Dawes August 27, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Thanks so much for sharing this. I’ll send at message out via our @quirkytraveller and @indus_UK twitter accounts. Hope you get lots of entries 🙂
Paige M. August 31, 2013 at 7:17 pm
Oh, thanks so much for the publicity! Much appreciated, and I’ll tweet more as entries come in.
Zoë Dawes September 1, 2013 at 2:11 pm
You’re most welcome Paige – hope the competition is a great success.
Dan September 14, 2013 at 11:26 am
Zoë Dawes September 16, 2013 at 11:14 am
Aren’t they 🙂 And hopefully they will continue to be able to live and enjoy in their wildlife habitat for many years to come.
Alyson December 4, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Oh I love that poem! I love that as a homeschooling parent, I get to pick it as a poem for my kids to read, too. I really must read Life or Pi, I never have.
Zoë Dawes December 4, 2013 at 3:12 pm
It’s a real classic isn’t it Alyson 🙂 And if you get a chance, the film of ‘Life of Pi’ is good too.
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QUIRKY TRAVEL is about seeing the world from a different angle, looking at things from all sides, finding the unusual, the interesting, the fascinating. It’s about quality combined with classiness, it’s about being curious about everything and wanting to know more…
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