LONDON, July 9 (UPI) -- Wild tigers could be gone in 30 years unless action is taken to prevent hunting the big cats and to curb the loss of habitat, the World Wildlife Fund said.
The WWF said Friday the wild tiger population has fallen to 3,200 from an estimated 100,000 in 1900, The Daily Telegraph reported. It called on governments in countries where tigers still roam, such as China, India and Bangladesh, to fulfill their commitment to double tiger numbers by 2022.
The WWF unit in Britain also urged Britons to pressure "tiger nations" by signing an online petition stating they do not want to live in a world without the animals.
"Without joined-up, global action right now, we are in serious danger of losing the species forever in many parts of Asia," said Diane Walkington, director of species for the British chapter. "If we lose the tiger, not only do we lose one of the world's top predators, we will lose so much more. By safeguarding their habitats, we will protect hundreds of other species in the process."
The protection campaign coincides with Year of the Tiger in Chinese calendar, which occurs in 2010 and 2022, the British newspaper said.
