International Tiger Day: Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik creates a 15-foot tall tiger sculpture

Puri (Odisha): Every year on July 29, International Tiger Day is celebrated to create awareness about endangered big cat. To mark this special occasion, Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a 15-foot-tall stunning sand sculpture on the Puri beach to mark International Tiger Day. Sudarshan's artwork portrays a tiger and its cub lying on the beach, with the message that reads “Save us to save the environment.” 

International Tiger Day serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding the tigers and their habitats as they play a vital role in balancing our ecosystem. Sadly, tigers are on the verge of extinction. There are only 3,900 tigers left on the Asian soil out of which half of the wild tigers reside in India.

Recognising the urgency, the Indian government launched 'Project Tiger' in 1973. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. The project's primary objective was to ensure a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protect them from extinction and preserve areas of biological importance as natural heritage.