Tiger Mosaic - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the photo mosaic all about?
The tiger is one of the most revered, feared and yet popular species on Earth. It is perhaps the most powerful symbol for all of our planet?s endangered wildlife. WWF wants to give people who care about tiger conservation a voice and make that voice heard with the photo mosaic. All participants in the photo mosaic are calling for an end to the tiger trade with their picture. Each picture represents an individual person?s support for wild tiger conservation.

Who does the mosaic address?
In June, WWF and its partners will present the mosaic to delegates from 171 countries who will be attending a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) in the Netherlands. We want to draw attention to the plight of Asian Big Cats and in particular, the fate of the tiger. If China lifts the current ban on tiger trade, it?s likely to be a death sentence. We need to show the magnitude of support for keeping tigers in the wild.

How many photos are needed?
The more, the better! The more pictures, the more detailed the mosaic will be and the more impact it will have. There is no maximum limit to the amount of pictures. However, the size of the individual photos will be reduced from time to time, to allow for more space for new photos to be added.

What format should my picture be?
Please make sure that your photo is at least 100 x 100 pixels in size and is no larger than 4 MB. Images can be in JPEG (.jpg and .jpeg), GIF (.gif), PNG (.png) and TIFF (.tif and .tiff) formats.

If you scan a hard copy photo into your computer, please make sure you crop the image before uploading it to remove any white space around it.

What kind of picture can I add?
As the final version of the tiger mosaic will be presented to governments we need to make sure that they see the number of real people around the world who support tiger conservation. So, please only add photos of yourself. Unfortunately photos of tigers (no matter how amazing they look) will not be accepted. Sorry!

How long will it take for my picture to appear on the mosaic?
Photos are added at regular intervals, but may not appear immediately on the site. Please allow a day or so for your photo to appear.

My photo has not appeared on the mosaic, what has happened?
Your photo may not have appeared for several reasons. There may have been a technical issue with the image or the system may be slower than usual due to the number of images people are adding. If you image has not appeared after 2 days, please try and add it again. If you photo does still not then appear please let us know (just send us an email at stf@nfwf.org) and we will do our best to help.

How can I find my picture in the mosaic?
All participants who submit a photo together with a valid e-mail address will automatically receive an e-mail containing a web link, which leads directly to their photo in the mosaic. This link will remain valid, even if the position of the photo changes from time to time.

You can also find your image using your unique photo ID, which was included in the confirmation email you received. With this ID you can go to the mosaic and search directly for your photo.

If you want to find the photo of someone else unfortunately the only option is to zoom into the mosaic and search for their photo.

Why can?t the pictures combined seamlessly?
We want to combine photos with different formats (vertical and horizontal formats), without having to cut the photos. For this reason the photos are adapted to a basic shape. Edges remain on the top and bottom as well as on the sides, through which the original tiger picture can be seen.

How are the positions of the photos in the tiger picture determined?
A computer program compares the color of each portrait photo with the tiger picture and automatically selects the position, which matches the best.

Why does the position of my picture change from time to time?
Each time new photos are added to the mosaic, the computer program determines the best position for all of the photos- selecting the position where the photo?s colors best match up with the colours of the tiger picture.

What happens to the mosaic after 15 June 2007
WWF and it partners will present the mosaic to delegates from 171 countries at the June meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) in the Netherlands. We will post updates on this website, so please check the site after this date and see the mosaic being physically presented.

The mosaic itself will remain on this website and you will still be able to view your photo after 15 June.