In densely populated India, where there are more people per square kilometer than in most countries, wild tigers are not just surviving – their numbers are growing and now approach 70% of all individuals on the planet. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the country has about 2967 animals, and this figure continues to increase thanks to systematic work initiated back in 1973 with the launch of Project Tiger.
Fifty years ago, the situation looked catastrophic: the population had decreased to critical levels due to poaching, deforestation, and agricultural expansion. Today, in 58 reserves scattered across 18 states, tigers find protected areas covering over 84,000 square kilometers. Camera traps and statistical models are recording not only an increase in the number of individuals but also an expansion of their habitats.
India's success relies on a combination of strict legislation, scientific monitoring, and the involvement of local communities. Villagers living near reserves find employment in ecotourism and conservation, which reduces human-predator conflict. Instead of seeing the tiger as a threat, they begin to perceive it as a source of income and pride.
The global tiger population remains under threat in other regions: in Southeast Asia and the Russian Far East, numbers have stabilized at a low level. The Indian experience shows that even in conditions of dense population and economic pressure, tangible results can be achieved if conservation becomes a state priority for decades.
The restoration of the food base also plays a key role: an increase in ungulate populations – deer, wild boars, and antelopes – allows predators not to leave protected zones. Modern methods, such as spatially explicit capture-recapture models, provide accurate estimates and help to respond promptly to changes.
India proves that the conservation of a large predator is possible without a radical reduction in human activity, if priorities are set correctly and efforts are long-term.
