The number of tigers living in the wild has risen for the first time in over a century, according to a new global census. Experts have, however, cautioned that tigers still face threats from poachers and habitat loss.
Image: Jahangir Alam Onuchcha /imago images
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A new census has found that some 3,890 wild tigers are roaming the forests from Russia to Thailand, wildlife conservation groups announced on Monday.
"More important than the absolute numbers is the trend, and we're seeing the trend going in the right direction," said Ginette Hemley, senior vice president of wildlife conservation at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Although welcoming the news, conservation experts cautioned that the rise in the latest global tally could be attributed to better survey methods and a wider survey area.
Nevertheless, Monday's announcement marks the first time that tiger counts have been reported to have increased since 1900, when more than 100,000 of the big cats were still in the wild.
Following 2010's dismal count, 13 countries where tigers live teamed up with conservation groups and set a goal to double the world's wild tiger population by 2022.
"Tigers are some of the most vital and beloved animals on Earth," Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio - who has joined the tiger conservation effort - said in a statement. "I am so proud that our collective efforts have begun to make progress toward our goal, but there is still so much to be done."
India is home to more than half of the world's tigers, with 2,226 of the big cats on the prowl from the eastern swamps in West Bengal to the southern Kerala state.
Uneven progress
Not all countries saw progress in wild tiger populations. Although Russia, India, Bhutan and Nepal marked increased numbers in their national surveys, Southeast Asian countries did not fare as well. Cambodia recently declared tigers functionally extinct in their country and announced plans to reintroduce them to the wild.
Tigers face constant threats from poaching, deforestation, and habitat loss as countries continue to develop.
"When you have high-level political commitments, it can make all the difference," said WWF's Hemley. "When you have well-protected habitats and you control the poaching, tigers will recover. That's a pretty simple formula. We know it works."
The announcement comes ahead of a three day conference in New Delhi where ministers from the 13 tiger-populated countries will meet to discuss measures to further protect the beloved big cats.
rs/tj (AP, dpa)
International Tiger Day 2015
Furry, fierce, furtive: Tigers are the largest members of the cat family. On July 29, International Tiger Day, DW looks at efforts to protect tigers, which are close to extinction in the wild.
Vastly reduced numbers
A century ago, there were around 100,000 tigers throughout their range. Today, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 exist in the wild. Three out of eight subspecies are already extinct. Still with us are the Sumatran, Siberian, Bengal, Malayan, Indochinese and South Chinese tiger. This latter, pictured above, can only be found in captivity.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Joe
Running out of space
Tigers have lost about 93 percent of their natural habitat due to human activities such as agriculture and the growth of cities around their habitats. Some tiger colonies still survive on small islands - but that leads to a high risk of inbreeding. The two white Bengal tigers above, however, represent a natural - and healthy - variant of the striped species.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/W. Layer
Climate change also a threat
One of the world's largest tiger populations lives in the Sundarbans, in Bangladesh and eastern India, on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean. This area is home to Bengal tigers and protected coastal regions. But rising sea levels caused by climate change threaten to wipe out these forests and the last remaining habitat for this tiger population.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/J. Kundu
Lonely boys
Tigers like to hunt in solitude, and generally search for food at night. They quietly stalk their prey until they are close enough to pounce - then they kill their victim with a bite to the neck or to back of the head. They've even been known to kill humans.
Image: Getty Images/N. Asfouri
Splash!
In contrast to most other members of the cat family, tigers love water. They are strong swimmers, and often cool off in pools or streams. They may also kill prey in the water - so think twice before going swimming around these felines!
Image: Imago
Definitely not vegetarian
Tigers are 100 percent carnivorous. Deer, wild pigs, water buffalo and antelopes are their favorite prey. They can also hunt sloth bears, dogs, leopards, crocodiles and pythons, as well as monkeys and hares. Humans are not their preferred choice - but tigers can attack a person if they feel threatened.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Scheidemann
Making the family grow
In tropical climates, the mating season runs from November to April. In more temperate regions, this takes place during the winter. Tiger cubs take around 103 days to come to the world, and there are normally three or four in each litter. Young tigers emerge from the den to follow their mothers around once they are around eight weeks old, and become independent at a year and a half.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Fischer
Conflict with humans
Since people and tigers are competing for space, wild tigers pose a major problem for communities living around those areas. If forests shrink, there is not enough prey. This forces the tigers to hunt domestic livestock from their human neighbors. In retaliation, tigers get often killed or captured.
