MUMBAI: It’s not too late to save our national animal from extinction. NDTV and Sanctuary Asia Magazine have joined hands to launch a mass movement – Save the Tiger – to stop the alarming decline in the number of tigers in India.
 
Through this initiative, NDTV is seeking to collect one million signatures to represent the voice of the masses. These signatures will be presented to the Center and the State governments demanding them to take stringent steps towards saving this endangered species.
 
Apart from nationwide public support, the campaign is also being backed by celebrities, well-known environmentalists and NGOs. Bollywood stars Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Kareena Kapoor, Preity Zinta and Farhan Akhtar, sportsmen Rahul Dravid, Rajyavardhan Rathore, environmentalists and conservationists like Sanctuary Magazine editor Bittu Sahgal, and the Kids for Tiger Group have come out to support this movement.
 
The campaign urges the Prime Minister to hold an emergency meeting of the National Board for Wildlife to consider the threat to the tiger; chief ministers of every state to establish a protection force for tigers; upgradation of forest guards to the level of police with better compensation; and setting up of an improved intelligence network that is critical to crack poaching.
 
NDTV kicked off this signature campaign by putting up banners and notebooks at various schools across the nation. NDTV is also conducting SMS polls and online petitions to reach out to as many people as possible. The count for the signature so far has been overwhelming and is increasing every minute.
 
NDTV environment and wildlife correspondent Swati Thyagaragan, who is spearheading the campaign, said, "Today, there are approximately only 1400 tigers left in Indian forests. It is extremely critical to create enough public support and awareness to be able to turn this campaign into a powerful movement. I am confident our campaign will gain enough momentum to force the government to take greater responsibility to save the tiger from the brink of extinction."
 
On 9 March, the campaign has planned a highly visible event—India Signs on to Save the Tiger. People from all walks of life will gather at a famous landmark in their city and sign a petition to save the tiger. Citizens can also log onto www.ndtv.com to contribute to this cause by signing an online petition.