International Tiger Day 2021: Dia Mirza insists 'we need to do more than just exchange platitudes'

On Tiger Day, the actor who has planted over  8313 trees in tiger habitats, emphasises the need to protect self-sustaining ecosystems

New Delhi: International Tiger Day is a global celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation and is held annually on July 29. Actress Dia Mirza has planted over 8313 trees in tiger habitats including Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Ramtek in Maharashtra and Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal. In 2016, she also directed and produced # KidsForTigers, a Public Service film on International Tiger Day,  to involve the future generation in conservation initiatives.   Dia says, “We need to do more than just exchange platitudes about this magnificent and endangered big cat because its habitats continue to shrink and the global tiger population seems to be in perpetual decline. It is heartening that in India, the tiger population has grown but because of human-animal conflict, this success story is at peril. We do not seem to understand that continuous threats to wildlife habitats will undermine any conservation work for tigers. This year’s theme, “Their survival is in our hands” could not be more relevant. It is time to be part of the solution and actually save our national animal and to understand that we cannot save the tiger without saving our diverse forests. Without protecting biodiversity ranging from tigers to termites, butterflies to bears, we cannot, in the end, protect ourselves as a race."