Good news everyone! The population of tigers is on the rise in India with the latest count estimating that there are around 3,000 animals in the wild across the country. With this, India has become one of the safest places on Earth for these endangered animals.
India has put in a lot of effort to protect tigers, the country’s national animal, during the past two decades. After the number of these magnificent animals dropped to an alarming 1,400 around 15 years ago, the country decided to increase the number of protected areas and double down on stopping illegal poachers.
These efforts resulted in a 33 percent increase in the tiger population from 2014, when the number was 2,226.
“With around 3,000 tigers, India has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for them in the world,” – said India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, while revealing the count.
This is encouraging news, especially considering the fact that less than 3,200 tigers roamed the Earth in 2010. For comparison, there were more than 100,000 tigers in the wild in 1900.
India conducts its tiger count every four years, using the data collected from wildlife officials across the nation.
The officials, however, warn that this is only the beginning of an enormously demanding project. Also, some experts argue that the increase in the tiger population might be in part due to more efficient counting.
“We still have a long way to go to secure a long-term future for wild tigers,” said Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India.
One of the biggest challenges in protecting the tigers is the fact that their habitats are becoming increasingly usurped by the ongoing development projects. Humans are expanding their territory, and by doing so, they are coming in contact with these big cats, which often results in conflict.
