BENGALURU, India — India has achieved a remarkable milestone by doubling its tiger population over the past decade, according to a study published on Thursday by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The research reveals the tiger population climbed from approximately 1,706 tigers in 2010 to around 3,682 by 2022, positioning India as home to roughly 75% of the global tiger population.
The study highlights several effective strategies responsible for this significant increase, including stringent anti-poaching measures, habitat protection, enhanced prey availability, and policies aimed at reducing human-wildlife conflict. These strategies have not only aided the big cats but have also improved living standards for communities residing near tiger habitats.
One of the notable outcomes is the boost to ecotourism, which has surged alongside the recovery of tiger populations. Local communities near these habitats have benefited economically from the increase in wildlife tourism, growing jobs and income opportunities through foot traffic and revenues generated by visitors eager to see tigers.
Yadvendradev Jhala, the lead author of the study and senior scientist at India’s National Academy of Sciences, emphasized, “Without community support and participation, conservation is not possible in our country.” His insights underline the importance of engaging local populations, who are pivotal to the success of conservation efforts, dispelling the common belief linking higher human densities with declining tiger numbers.
Despite the encouraging statistics and narratives of success, experts caution about the sustainability of these gains. Only about 25% of designated tiger habitats are rich, protected with ample prey, and nearly 45% are shared with approximately 60 million people. Jhala noted, “What the research shows is it’s not the human density, but the attitude of people, which matters more.”
Ecologist Arjun Gopalaswamy, who critiqued the inconsistencies within India’s official tiger monitoring program as “chaotic” and “contradictory,” pointed out discrepancies from earlier population estimates. He indicated some figures may appear significantly inflated compared to previous counts drawn from the same datasets. Yet, he recognized the study's findings corrected many inconsistencies noted since 2011.
Challenges remain, particularly concerning habitat loss due to urbanization, over-exploitation of forest resources, and armed conflicts which have led to localized extinctions. These pressures threaten not only tigers but also other endangered species like the great Indian bustard and caracal, which receive far less attention.
Jhala reiterated, “Strong wildlife protection legislation is the backbone of tiger conservation in India.” He pointed to the need for policies ensuring quality over mere quantity of habitats, driving home the point about the quality of the environment being just as important as the extent of the protected areas.
The findings of this study could serve as an invaluable blueprint for tiger-range countries seeking to bolster their conservation efforts. The combination of biodiversity benefits, economic incentives, and shared community support holds significant lessons for global wildlife protection strategies.
Experts and wildlife conservationists appreciate India’s achievements but underline the necessity of extending similar conservation efforts to other species to maintain ecological integrity. “There are many species, including the great Indian bustard and caracal, which are on the edge,” said wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam.
Indian conservationists urge for balanced strategies, extending beyond just protecting tigers to encompass entire ecosystems for wildlife conservation efforts to be genuinely effective. By maintaining biodiversity, India’s conservation model could well influence strategies worldwide, reaffirming the interdependence of people, wildlife, and nature itself.
Overall, India's success story reflects how concerted conservation policy, community engagement, and sustainable practices can lead to awe-inspiring results, advocating for both wildlife protection and the socio-economic upliftment of communities. This model paves the way for future initiatives addressing biodiversity crises and promoting wildlife stewardship on both local and global scales.