India Doubles Tiger Population in Just Over Decade, Study Finds
India has successfully doubled its tiger population in a little over a decade, a remarkable conservation achievement attributed to concerted efforts in protecting the big cats from poaching and habitat loss, ensuring ample prey, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and improving living standards for communities near tiger habitats, The Associated Press reports, citing a study.
The study, featured in the journal Science, reveals that the number of tigers in India soared from some 1,706 in 2010 to an estimated 3,682 in 2022, as reported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. This makes India home to roughly 75% of the world’s tiger population. Furthermore, the study highlights that some local communities living near tiger habitats have seen economic benefits through ecotourism driven by the increased tiger population.
The researchers emphasized that India’s success offers valuable lessons for other tiger-range countries, demonstrating that effective conservation efforts can benefit both biodiversity and local communities.
Wildlife conservationists and ecologists have largely applauded the findings, but some expressed a desire for greater transparency, urging that the source data used in the study — which was primarily collected by Indian government-supported institutions — be made available to a wider group of scientists for further analysis.
The study also highlighted areas where tiger populations have not thrived, particularly in regions outside national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and other protected areas. Tigers have also declined in areas experiencing urbanization, increased human exploitation of forest resources, and more frequent armed conflicts.
Currently, tigers are spread across roughly 53,359 square miles of India, an area roughly the size of New York State. However, only 25% of this area is considered prey-rich and protected, while an estimated 45% of tiger habitats are shared with about 60 million people, presenting ongoing challenges for tiger conservation in the country.
