Vivek Menon

Founder, Trustee and Executive Director of Wildlife Trust of India / Senior Advisor to IFAW

“Tigers are undoubtedly the kings and queens of Asian forests. From the snowy birch forests of the Russian Far East to the dry deciduous teak forests of southern India and the wet evergreen forests of Sumatra, the tiger rules supreme. It is a flagship species for the conservation of these habitats and all other life that exists in it.

Everything about the tiger is majestic: its deep amber eyes, its tawny orange coat slashed black, the white-tipped ears and tail, and that power-packed forearm that is the nemesis of its ungulate prey.

It is such a shame that we have less than 5000 tigers left in the wild today, despite global conservation efforts. Poaching for tigers’ body parts has taken a heavy toll for an animal already threatened by forest loss and degradation, by the fall in its prey numbers due to hunting, and from human-animal conflict.

Yet, like a true cat that is adaptable and has large litters, the tiger has bounced back in pockets where conservation has succeeded, like in many parts of India. 

If you have not seen a tiger in the wild, do it now. It will change your life for ever.” 

Photo by Vivek Menon