International Tiger Day: Schoolkids’ rakhi date with a Royal Bengal at Delhi zoo

On Saturday, students of Ramjas School in RK Puram tied rakhis on a model of the tiger and took part in a rally to show solidarity and relationship with tigers to save and conserve it. Zoo officials, teachers of Ramjas School and dozens of visitors also joined in.

Around 60 schoolchildren tied rakhis on a model of a tiger and took an oath to protect the animal as part of the International Tiger Day celebration at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi on Saturday.

Schoolchildren tie rakhi to the model of a Royal Bengal Tiger during the International Tiger Day at Delhi Zoo on Saturday.(Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

On Saturday, students of Ramjas School in RK Puram tied rakhis on a model of the tiger and took part in a rally to show solidarity and relationship with tigers to save and conserve it. Zoo officials, teachers of Ramjas School and dozens of visitors also joined in.

Wearing tiger masks, holding placards and shouting slogans to stop poaching and save the tiger the students rallied up to the white tiger enclosure.

“The students took an oath pledging that they would protect the forests, create awareness about tigers among family and friends and not use any products made out of tiger’s body parts,” said Renu Singh director of Delhi Zoo.

The zoo has around 12 tigers including seven white tigers. At present India has almost twice the number of tigers than it did a decade ago. India’s tiger populations registered a steady rise from 1706 tigers in 2011 to 2226 in 2014.

“We learnt a lot about tigers, the forests in which they live and the threats. We also took a pledge to protect these magnificent animals,” said one of the students.

The students saw a short film on the Delhi zoo and took part in an interactive session on tigers and a quiz competition.

“The purpose of this celebration is to protect tigers by raising awareness about loss of habitat, climate change, hunting and poaching. We would try to involve school children and organise similar programs in the future too,” said Singh.

Delhi Zoo, which had celebrated the birthday of one of its animals last week, is now planning to launch an anti-firecracker campaign this year before the Diwali involving schoolchildren.

“We are planning to launch an anti-firecracker campaign before Diwali. We would invite schoolchildren and organise a rally in Sunder Nagar area. They will be sensitized about rising pollution levels and how avoiding fire crackers could make a positive change,” said Singh.