Tiger Conservation: Where are we now?

Tigers can only be found in some parts of Asia and Europe. The countries with presence of tigers or so called the Tiger Range Countries include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Study of tigers since 1960 shows that numbers of wild tigers has been hugely declining to a level of critically endangered by criteria of International Union of Conservation and Natural Resources (IUCN) with an estimation of only 3,200 wild tigers in 2010.  

Numbers of factors have driven tigers to the brink of an extinction mainly habitat loss and poaching. An expansion of agricultural land, to meet food demands of growing population and consumerism society, has translated to a loss of large intact forest areas of the countries and that result in restricting home ranges of tiger populations. Another big threat is hunting, as parts of tigers are believed to have high medicinal value especially by Chinese traditional medicine industry, they become greatly demanded products. The decreasing of home ranges means limited food sources and higher vulnerability to poachers, this inevitably has threatened the survival of this ecologically significant species, tigers.

Interventions of tigers’ conservation started only after the General Assembly of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), 1969, proposed a resolution calling for international efforts to save the tiger.

In 2010, leaders of the 13 tiger range countries met in Peters-burg, Russia and made a promising commitment to double population of tiger to the level of 6,000 by 2022 known as Tx2010 goal.

In order to achieve this goal, numbers of actions needed to be carrying out essentially expanding and protecting of tiger ranging homes, eradicating poaching of both tigers and their preys, preventing smuggling and trading of tigers or their parts.

As a result, much efforts and investments has been made to protect this endangered species, tigers by concerned governments and non-governmental conservation organizations. However, commitments and actions vary among the countries. Therefore, outcome of tiger conservation initiative is a mixed of both success and failures.

The latest data from WWF and Global Tiger Forum, April 2016, the population of tigers has, first time, showed an increase from as few as 3,200 in 2010 to 3,890 which means an addition of 690 tigers.  

Although the validity of counting the wild tigers is questionable, the figure definitely is a good news and hopeful for conservation groups and concern nations. Importantly, it signals that with political commitment, sound policy and cooperation from all stakeholders, saving the tigers or other endangered species are achievable.