Today is International Tiger Day, noted annually on July 29, celebrated across the globe to raise awareness for tiger conservation.
The tiger enjoys the reputation of being the largest of the world’s big cats. A tiger can be easily identified with its distinctive orange and black stripes on its face and body.
International Tiger Day was established in 2010 during the Saint Petersburg (Florida) Tiger Summit, where countries with tiger populations committed to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022 after it was found that 97% of all wild tigers had disappeared in the last century, with about only 3,000 of them remaining.
A recent estimate from the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates an increase to around 5,000 tigers due to improved conservation efforts.
Zoo Knoxville houses two majestic Malayan tigers, Tahan and Batari, in Tiger Temple. Guests can prowl over for a Free Animal Encounter at the Tiger Temple area on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. to come face-to-face with these beauties.
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