“An unparalleled success story”: In India, the number of wild tigers continues to increase

In India, the number of wild tigers has continued to increase. There were 3,167 tigers in the country last year, compared to 2,967 in 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday in Mysuru in Karnataka state.

India has by far the most endangered species in the world and their numbers are regularly determined using camera traps. “India is a country where conservation is part of the culture,” Modi said. “That’s why there are so many unique conservation successes.”

The tiger countries – in addition to India, this also includes Russia, China and several countries in South and Southeast Asia – have agreed to protect the animals. In 2010 in St. Petersburg they set themselves the goal of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022, the Chinese “Year of the Tiger”. According to official figures, there were 1706 in India in 2010. WWF tiger expert Markus Raddey said, “India has failed to double it, but Indian development is an unparalleled success story.”

In predominantly Hindu India, tigers also have religious significance, and the government also recognizes the importance of tigers for wildlife tourism. Tiger hunting was banned in the 1970s, and prey is hunted less in the country than in other countries due to a strong vegetarian tradition. The government also takes measures to defuse conflicts. For example, people who lose family members or livestock to tigers are compensated.

Because more tigers can also mean more conflicts with people. With the deforestation of forests, human settlements are sometimes very close to the predators. According to the WWF, the tiger’s global range has shrunk by 95 percent in the past 100 years. This can lead to tigers killing humans or their livestock – and then humans killing tigers, partly out of revenge.

The WWF emphasizes that tiger protection only works with acceptance by local residents. Poaching is also a problem for tigers: people sometimes illegally hunt the big cats – partly because tiger parts are popular in Chinese medicine. But the prey of the tigers is also targeted, which can lead to food shortages. (sda/dpa)