BENGALURU, India — A recent study has revealed that India has successfully doubled its tiger population within slightly more than a decade, thanks to various conservation efforts aimed at protecting the majestic animals from poaching and environmental degradation. The report, released on Thursday, highlights strategies such as ensuring ample prey availability, reducing conflicts between humans and wildlife, and improving local communities’ living conditions near tiger habitats.
The population of tigers surged from an estimated 1,706 in 2010 to around 3,682 by 2022, as reported by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. This impressive growth positions India as home to approximately 75% of the world’s tiger population. Interestingly, the study indicates that local communities surrounding tiger habitats have experienced positive economic impacts due to the increased foot traffic and revenue generated by ecotourism activities.
Published in the journal Science, the study emphasizes that India’s achievements present valuable insights for other countries that also host tiger populations. The findings illustrate that successful conservation not only safeguards biodiversity but also enhances the livelihoods of nearby communities. “The prevailing notion is that higher human densities hinder the growth of tiger populations,” explained Yadvendradev Jhala, a senior scientist at the Indian National Academy of Sciences and the study’s lead author. “Our research indicates that it is not the density of humans, but their attitudes towards conservation that play a crucial role.”
Ecologists and wildlife conservationists have praised the study but have expressed that a broader access to the source data would be beneficial for the scientific community. The research relied on information gathered by institutions backed by the Indian government.
Arjun Gopalaswamy, an ecologist specializing in wildlife population assessments, noted inconsistencies and confusion in the official tiger monitoring data from India. He mentioned that some estimates from the study significantly surpass previous distributions derived from the very same datasets. Nonetheless, he pointed out that the research successfully addressed discrepancies that scientists have been highlighting since 2011 regarding the size of tiger populations and their geographical distributions.
The study further indicates that tigers have disappeared from regions lacking protection, such as national parks or wildlife sanctuaries, primarily in areas experiencing heightened urban development, increased exploitation of forest resources, and a rise in armed conflicts. “Conservation cannot be achieved without community support and participation along with tangible benefits for those communities,” stated Jhala.
Tigers occupy approximately 138,200 square kilometers (53,359 square miles) in India, a territory roughly equivalent to the size of New York State. However, only a quarter of this area is both secure and rich in prey, while an additional 45% of tiger habitats coexist with an estimated 60 million inhabitants, according to the study.
Jhala highlighted that robust wildlife protection laws serve as the foundation for successful tiger conservation in India. “It is not a lack of habitat that limits tiger populations, but rather the quality of those habitats,” he remarked.
Wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam, who did not participate in the research, expressed optimism about current tiger conservation efforts, yet stressed the necessity of prioritizing other vulnerable species to maintain overall ecological balance. “Several species, like the great Indian bustard and caracal, are critically endangered and require immediate attention,” Chellam commented. “However, such focus is currently lacking.”
