By Rajni Pandey | February 3, 2025
India has doubled its tiger population in just over a decade, reaching over 3,600 tigers—a staggering 75% of the global tiger count.
With just 18% of the world’s tiger habitat, India’s tigers now inhabit 138,200 sq km, coexisting with nearly 60 million people.
Strict anti-poaching measures, habitat restoration, and government policies have been instrumental in protecting India’s big cats.
States like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand benefit from tiger tourism and government compensation, helping locals coexist with the predators.
Regions like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand struggle with low tiger populations due to poaching, poverty, and armed conflicts like the Maoist insurgency.
India has 157,000 sq km of tiger-free land, mainly in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Restoring just 10,000 sq km could support more tigers.
While economic growth aids conservation, unchecked land development disrupts habitats, creating a double-edged sword for tiger survival.
On average, 35 people die from tiger attacks annually, but experts argue this is minor compared to car accidents or snake bites, shifting the focus to risk management.
Unlike countries like Malaysia, where tiger populations have failed to recover, India’s approach to land sparing and land sharing provides a blueprint for large carnivore conservation worldwide.