Photo by stevenwinterphoto | It took 24 days to capture this image of a mother Bengal tiger with her cub in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in India as part of a story for Nat Geo. India’s Project Tiger, launched in 1973 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi, has brought Bengal tigers back from the brink: They now number about 3,000. But today—International Tiger Day—it’s important to remember that tigers are the most endangered big cats. Four other subspecies—Sumatran, Siberian, Malay, and Indochinese—are in a precarious situation, with only a few hundred of each remaining in the wild. A sixth subspecies, the South China tiger, exists only in captivity. The good news: With protection and enough habitat, food, and water, tigers bounce back. A tigress can produce up to 15 cubs in her lifetime. Poaching for the black-market Asian trade and disappearing habitat pose the greatest threats to tigers. But as India’s efforts have shown us, we can save these magnificent animals. #InternationalTigerDay