Chester Zoo has launched a new month-long fundraising campaign to help protect endangered tigers both in the UK and in the wild.

The Earn Your Stripes challenge, which marks International Tiger Day, runs from 29 September to 29 October.

As the first fundraising appeal of its kind from the conservation charity, the campaign aims to see supporters collectively cover 5,000 miles while raising £10,000 for tiger conservation.

Participants can choose their own distance target and complete it however they like – including walking, cycling, using a wheelchair, rowing, swimming or dancing – with progress logged on the Earn Your Stripes fundraising page.

The 5,000-mile goal reflects the size of India's Terai region, one of the last strongholds for wild tigers and an area where Chester Zoo supports conservation work.

Money raised will help fund the zoo's role in a European tiger breeding programme, as well as projects protecting wild tigers in India.

Chester Zoo welcomed twin tiger cubs Raya and Alif in 2023 as part of the breeding programme. The pair have since moved to other European zoos, where they are expected to help secure future generations of the endangered species.

The zoo says conservation breeding provides an important safety net as wild tiger populations continue to decline through habitat loss and conflict with people.

It costs more than £400 a month to feed a breeding pair of tigers at Chester Zoo, excluding the costs of keepers, veterinary care, habitat maintenance and enrichment.

"This new fundraiser is designed to be accessible and allow participants to go at their own pace, in their own place," said Adam Thomas, Individual Giving Assistant Manager at Chester Zoo.

"Tigers are stunning animals but sadly they are endangered and face serious threats in the wild due to habitat loss and human-tiger conflict.

"By signing up for Earn Your Stripes, people will have a direct impact on tiger conservation and help prevent the species becoming extinct."

The zoo also works in India's Terai region alongside local communities, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, the Wildlife Trust of India and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce conflict between people and tigers.

As tiger habitats shrink, encounters between big cats and nearby communities have become more frequent, leading to livestock losses, injuries and deaths.

Mayukh Chatterjee, regional field programme senior manager for India at Chester Zoo, said: "Every donation will make a real difference to tigers, whether it helps train volunteer teams in India to de-escalate interactions, or supports the care of tigers at Chester Zoo."

Members of the public can sign up for Earn Your Stripes here.