200,000 reasons to celebrate International Tiger Day

July 29th is International Tiger Day, a chance to celebrate these iconic and intelligent predators. Known for their unique striped patterns and powerful roars, these big cats have long held important cultural significance for people across their home ranges. As apex predators, they play a vital role in keeping ecosystems healthy and in balance.

Tigers once roamed across much of Asia, but today their populations face ongoing threats from habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.

The most threatened of all tigers is the Sumatran Tiger, the smallest and most unique tiger subspecies. With less than 400 left in the wild, Sumatran Tigers are critically endangered. 

One of the main reasons for their decline has been the loss of their rainforest habitats, particularly due to unsustainable palm oil plantations, which leave little room for tigers to hunt, breed and survive. From chocolate to chips, ice cream to instant noodles, shampoo to salad dressing – palm oil is found in nearly half of packaged products on supermarket shelves.

The problem isn’t palm oil itself, but how it is grown. Unsustainable palm oil can destroy habitat and drive species towards extinction. Good palm oil, however, can protect rainforest and wildlife corridors whilst supporting communities and feeding our growing population.

Taronga Zoo’s Tiger Trek is home to a family of Sumatran Tigers, part of a global breeding program to protect them. Tiger Trek transports you to Way Kambas National Park in southern Sumatra, to see these predators up-close and hear the story of palm oil’s impacts on the landscape.

In Tiger Trek, you can send an email to Australia’s biggest users of palm oil, calling on them to use 100% Certified Sustainable Palm Oil in their products. More than 200,000 emails have now been sent by visitors to Tiger Trek to call for change. Each email sent represents a voice lent to protect tigers through sustainable choices.