Study Finds India’s Tiger Population Doubled in 12 Years

A recent study says India has doubled its tiger population in 12 years.

Researchers said the gain came from efforts to protect the big cats from hunters, and to protect against the loss of tiger habitat and prey, among other things.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority said the number of tigers grew from an estimated 1,706 in 2010 to around 3,682 in 2022. Those numbers mean India is home to about 75 percent of the total tiger population.

The research shows that a reduction in conflict between humans and wildlife also played a part in the population growth. The study credited efforts to improve economic conditions for communities near tiger habitats. The researchers said the growth in the tiger population also led to improvements in local economies through increased ecotourism.

The study appears in the publication Science. It said India's success demonstrates that wildlife protection can help both biodiversity and nearby communities.

“The common belief is that human densities preclude an increase in tiger populations," said Yadvendradev Jhala. Jhala is a scientist at Bengaluru-based Indian National Academy of Sciences and was the study’s lead writer. “What the research shows is that it's not the human density, but the attitude of people, which matters more.”

Wildlife conservationists and ecologists welcomed the study. But they said making the source data available to a larger group of scientists would aid tigers and other wildlife in India. The study was based on data collected by Indian government-supported organizations.

Arjun Gopalaswamy is an ecologist who knows how to measure wildlife populations. He said that estimates from India’s official tiger observation program have been undependable. He said some of the numbers in the study are much higher than past estimates of tiger populations from the same datasets. But he added that the study's findings seem to have corrected a data problem noted repeatedly by scientists since 2011 related to tiger population size and their range.

The study said tigers disappeared in some areas. These included habitats that were not near national parks or other protected areas, and areas of increased development, increased human use of forest resources and areas with armed conflict.

“Without community support and participation and community benefits, conservation is not possible in our country,” said Jhala.

That means local people need to see good results from their efforts to save tigers.

Tigers are spread across about 138,200 square kilometers of India. But just 25 percent of the area is rich in tiger prey and is protected. Another 45 percent of tiger habitat is shared with about 60 million people, the study said.

Jhala said strong wildlife protection legislation is the “backbone” of tiger conservation in India. “Habitat is not a constraint, it's the quality of the habitat which is a constraint,” he said.

Wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam, who did not take part in the study, praised the tiger conservation efforts as promising. But, he said, such efforts need to be extended to other wild animals to better care for the whole ecosystem in India.

Chellam said several kinds of Indian wildlife are “on the edge,” and need more attention.

I’m Caty Weaver.

The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English.

habitat –n. the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally exists

prey –n. an animal hunted or killed by another animal for food

ecotourism –n. people who travel to and visit a place to see its natural beauty and wildlife

biodiversity –n. biological variety in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals

preclude –v. to make impossible by necessary consequence

attitude –n. the visible behavior that shows how a person thinks or feels about something or someone

conservationist –n. a person who works to preserve animals, plants and natural resources for future generations

range –n. the area where a plant or animal naturally lives and can be found

constraint –n. the state of being restricted

participation – n. the action or state of taking part in something

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