A new study highlights India’s success in tiger conservation, showing a 30% increase in tiger occupancy over the past two decades. The study reveals how strategic land management, socio-economic development, and political stability have contributed to a robust tiger population, offering hope for other biodiversity conservation efforts globally.
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What can be termed as a positive news for the ongoing conservation efforts for the Royal Bengal Tiger in India, a study published in a scientific journal highlights that the tiger occupancy increased by 30% (at 2929 square kilometers per year) over the past two decades, leading to the largest global population occupying approximately 138,200 square kilometers.
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The study named 'Tiger recovery amid people and poverty' was published in a scientific journal Science . The lead author of the study is Yadvendra V. Jhala, Ninad Avinash Mungi, Rajesh Gopal and Qamar Qureshi.
"Tiger occupancy increased by 30% (at 2929 square kilometers per year) over the past two decades, leading to the largest global population occupying ~138,200 square kilometers. Tigers persistently occupied human-free, prey-rich protected areas (35,255 square kilometers) but also colonized proximal connected habitats that were shared with ~60 million people." the study states.
The study also highlights the fact that tiger absence and extinction were characterized by armed conflict, poverty, and extensive land-use changes."Sparing land for tigers enabled land sharing, provided that socioeconomic prosperity and political stability prevailed. India’s tiger recovery offers cautious optimism for megafauna recovery, particularly in the Global South." the study observed.
According to research, the recovery of large carnivores poses an immense challenge in the Anthropocene, a period marked by biodiversity loss. The Living Planet Report published in 2024 shows an average 73% decline in wildlife populations worldwide since 1970. However India’s tiger recovery stands as a bright spot, demonstrating how scientific strategies and sociopolitical stability can align to achieve remarkable success.
A new study published in the scientific magazine Science - shows that over the past two decades, the tiger’s range has increased by 30% in India, making it home to 75% of the global population. Researchers who are a part of the study feel that this success story offers important lessons for biodiversity conservation in densely populated and economically diverse regions.
The researchers also feel that there are challenges of sustaining large carnivores.Large carnivores, such as tigers, face numerous threats, including habitat destruction, poaching fueled by international demand and bushmeat consumption, and escalating human-wildlife conflict. Historically, tigers roamed across Eurasia but have been extirpated from over 90% of their historical range. By 2000, the global wild tiger population had dwindled to just 3,600 individuals. According to experts, sustaining their recovery requires expansive habitats, abundant prey, and a culture of coexistence with humans – a daunting task in regions grappling with poverty, armed conflict, and rapid urbanization.
The researchers are of opinion that India’s tiger recovery illustrates a strategic blend of land sparing and land sharing. Protected areas, such as tiger reserve cores and national parks, devoid of human use, have been managed to maintain high-density tiger populations (land sparing). Achieving this involved voluntary relocation of human settlements in exchange for financial compensation and support for new livelihoods. The important fact is that these largely human-free areas now sustain 85% of viable breeding populations.
The authors of the study feel that due to these source populations, tigers have dispersed and expanded into multi-use forests and coexist with humans. "This dispersal has been facilitated by habitat corridors and eco-friendly land-use practices. Currently, tigers share space with over 66 million people, demonstrating the feasibility of coexistence (land sharing). These efforts were bolstered by substantial government investments, scientific management, community engagement, and a culture of coexistence." according to the researchers
The governance and policies including India’Wildlife Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, and the establishment of the National Tiger Conservation Authority seems to have ensured the protection of tiger habitats and streamlined evidence-based conservation actions.
Laws prohibit the killing of wildlife, implement safeguards against habitat divergence for development, and enforce mitigation measures to counter undesirable impacts of essential diversions. The study notes that diluting these legal instruments can have long-term detrimental ramifications for tigers, their ecosystems, and ecosystem services.
The other factor that have played an important role of the scientific monitoring and management.
According to the researchers of the study, protecting extensive habitats of desirable quality and abundant prey species were critical for tiger persistence. "Habitat corridors connecting protected areas have further facilitated the dispersal and gene flow between tiger populations, enabling them to recolonize historical ranges. Thus, recovery of tigers necessitates the conservation and recovery of prey and habitats – a task that requires robust science and meticulous management. Since 2006, India monitors around 320,000 km² every four years to understand the changes in tigers, their prey, habitat quality, and anthropogenic pressures. This monitoring has generated one of the world’s largest systematic data on wildlife. Arising inferences are incorporated into policy and management to optimize conservation decisions, as documented in this paper."
One of the most distinct messages of the Science paper was that beyond the ecological need for prey and habitat, tiger recovery also depends on long-term peace and prosperity.
The researchers have found that regions with socioeconomic prosperity have witnessed higher tiger colonization rates due to lower dependence on forest resources by communities, sustained resources invested in habitat management, and conflict mitigation.
" Conversely, areas with high poverty levels, such as parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, have experienced higher extinction rates due to dependence on bush-meat and other extractive natural resource uses. Similarly, areas with forest loss to urbanization coincided with tiger absence and extinctions." the study states adding, "Thus, a middle path of sustainable livelihoods and community-inclusive development is important for enabling tiger recovery. Communities living near tiger reserves benefit from eco-tourism, revenue-sharing programs, and compensation for wildlife-induced losses. These measures have fostered a sense of ownership among local populations, enhancing tolerance and minimizing poaching. Thus, tigers bring economic opportunities, which, if strategically tapped, can enhance tiger recovery."
The study also highlights that armed conflicts, as seen in the Naxal-affected regions of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, have contributed to tiger extinctions and absence. "These areas often suffer from weakened governance and socio-economic challenges, creating conditions conducive to poaching of tigers and their prey. Once peace prevails and socioeconomic opportunities are fostered, tigers recover, as documented in Manas Tiger Reserve and Nagarjunsagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve." mentions the study adding that politically stable regions have benefited from long-term conservation programs, demonstrating that peace and prosperity are integral to wildlife recovery.
Challenges and future directions
Despite India’s success, several challenges remain. Key habitats in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand, covering approximately 157,000 km², remain devoid of tigers, highlighting opportunities for focused recovery efforts. Strategies such as socio-economic upliftment of forest-dwelling communities, prey and tiger reintroduction programs, and habitat restoration are essential for these regions. Moreover, protected areas alone are insufficient without addressing political stability and socioeconomic prosperity. Communities enabling tiger conservation must derive tangible benefits for effective recovery.
The broader impact of Tiger conservation
Tiger recovery has far-reaching implications for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Tigers, as umbrella species, support the conservation of co-occurring megafauna like leopards, dholes, megaherbivores, as well as prey species and habitats. Protected tiger landscapes contribute to carbon sequestration, climate regulation, and biotic resistance to invasive species. The success of tiger conservation in India underscores the role of apex predators in maintaining ecological complexity and services for future generations.
The researchers feel that India’s tiger recovery serves as a model for other regions facing similar challenges. It demonstrates that human-carnivore coexistence is achievable through meticulous governance, cultural acceptance, and economic incentives. This paradigm offers hope for conserving other large carnivores in the Global South, where biodiversity hotspots intersect with socio-economic complexities.
Rekindling hope for a biodiverse Anthropocene
Scientist and conservationist Yadvendradev V Jhala said, "India’s tiger recovery showcases the resilience of nature and the transformative potential of collective human action. It exemplifies how science, policy, and economic benefits to communities can converge to achieve conservation goals despite adversity such as poverty, human density, and development.As the world grapples with the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, India’s tiger story rekindles hope for a biodiverse Anthropocene. It reminds us that protecting apex predators is not just about saving a single species – it is about safeguarding the intricate web of life that sustains our planet. By prioritizing conservation, sustainable socioeconomics, and a culture of peace and coexistence, we can pave the way for maintaining a biodiverse future."
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