India’s tiger population has increased by 30% over the past two decades, according to a study published in Science.
The study highlights successful strategies like land-sharing and land-sparing, and a balance between conservation and development, despite India’s high human population.
85% of breeding tiger populations are in protected areas, and corridors and sustainable land practices have helped tigers expand into multi-use forests.
Tigers now coexist with over 66 million people, proving that human-wildlife coexistence is possible.
India’s strong laws, like the Wildlife Protection Act and National Tiger Conservation Authority, have played a key role in tiger conservation.
Regions with better socio-economic conditions and lower forest dependence saw higher rates of tiger recovery
But areas with poverty and conflict, like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, saw declines.
Despite progress, 157,000 sq km of potential tiger habitat remains vacant due to socio-political instability and habitat degradation.
India is home to 70% of the world’s wild tigers.
Tiger numbers in India grew from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,226 in 2024, with a peak of 2,967 in 2018.
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