PORTLAND, Ore. — International Tiger Day was July 29, and the Oregon Zoo — home to 6-year-old Amur tiger Bernadette — marked the occasion with a day of activities and keeper talks, presented by Banfield Pet Hospital.
“Tigers have inspired people for thousands of years with their beauty and power,” Senior Keeper Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey said. “It’s up to us to make sure they continue to have a home on our planet for future generations. We hope our guests will be inspired to take action and come together for wildlife.”
Special activities included a tiger feeding at 10:30 a.m. and keeper talk at 1 p.m. Kim Voyle, president of Trees for Tigers, was on hand throughout the day to talk with guests near the Amur tiger habitat.
For those who couldn’t make it to the zoo July 29, here are three ways to celebrate Global Tiger Day and contribute to the conservation of these endangered cats:
1. Stamp out extinction.
Pick up a sheet of Save Vanishing Species stamps at your post office. You’ll add a splash of tiger-cub cuteness to your envelope while helping tigers in the wild. Proceeds from the sale of these stamps support international conservation efforts such as improved poaching detection where tigers live.
2. Opt out of junk mail.
The average American household receives more than 100 pounds of junk mail each year, costing millions of trees and destroying homes for forest-dwelling species like tigers. Learn how to opt out at oregonzoo.org/conserve/small-actions/opt-out-junk-mail.
3. Look for the FSC-certified logo.
Whether you’re purchasing a desk, printer paper or napkins, look for the Forest Stewardship Council label to help ensure your wood product is “friendly” to tigers and the forests they inhabit.
Nicassio-Hiskey notes that while the Oregon Zoo’s Bernadette is doing well, her wild counterparts are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and poaching. Only around 500 Amur tigers are believed to remain in their home range. The species derives its name from the Amur River, which runs through the region of southeast Russia to which this subspecies is native.
For more information about tiger conservation and other ways to help, visit the Wildcat Conservation Alliance, an international coalition of organizations working to save tigers and Amur leopards in the wild.
Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation enhances and expands the zoo’s efforts in conservation, education and animal welfare. Members, donors and corporate and foundation partners help the zoo make a difference across the region and around the world. To contribute, go to oregonzoo.org/give.
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