The world’s largest cat, the tiger (Panthera tigris), remains in grave danger. A century of hunting, habitat loss, and poaching has left the species “Critically Depleted,” according to the first IUCN Green Status of Species for the tiger assessment released this week.
As per the report, the assessment marks a turning point in global conservation by measuring not only extinction risk but also how close a species is to full ecological recovery. It finds that while tigers remain endangered, conservation has prevented even greater losses and could still restore populations across much of their historical range.
A Century of Decline
Tigers once roamed across much of Asia, from Turkey to the Russian Far East. Today, they survive in only ten countries and occupy less than 7% of their historical range. As per the report, “Tigers are now extinct in nine of the 24 spatial units evaluated and are threatened in all spatial units where they still persist.”
The assessment confirms that the global population stands between 3,726 and 5,578 individuals. Of these, an estimated 3,140 are mature adults. In nine of the thirteen countries where tigers were present thirty years ago, populations have declined sharply.
The IUCN continues to list the tiger as Endangered under criterion A2ab, reflecting a population decline of more than 50% over three generations. Habitat has shrunk by over half since 1994, and poaching remains the leading cause of local extinctions in countries like Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
The new Green Status framework, introduced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), complements the Red List. It evaluates a species’ progress toward recovery and the effectiveness of conservation measures.
Under this system, the tiger is ranked as “Critically Depleted.” The term signals not just loss, but also recovery potential.
“This assessment shows that tigers, though Critically Depleted, are far from a lost cause,” said Luke Hunter, Executive Director of the Big Cat Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society and lead author of the report. “Thanks to conservation, they have survived the worst century in their history. With renewed commitment and collaboration, they can recover across much of their range.”
Hunter noted that if tigers were restored to all suitable habitats, through natural recolonization or reintroduction, the wild population could exceed 25,000, five times the current number.
Signs of Hope in South Asia
Recent growth in tiger populations in India, Nepal, and Bhutan provides cautious optimism.
“Recent tiger recoveries, particularly in South Asia, inspire hope for the species,” said Abishek Harihar, Director of the Tiger Program at Panthera. “Nonetheless, Southeast Asia remains in crisis, with steep declines and local extinctions emphasizing ongoing threats.”
Harihar pointed to recovery efforts in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex and Malaysia’s Central Forest landscape as examples of how focused action can stabilize populations.
As per the report, the “Conservation Legacy” of the tiger is rated High. This reflects that without past decades of conservation work, tigers would likely have disappeared from most of their range. Protected areas and anti-poaching measures have prevented extinction in up to seven regions.
Despite progress, the assessment warns that tigers remain heavily dependent on sustained protection. Their recovery is slow because of their low reproductive rate and ongoing threats.
As per the report, “The Recovery Potential of the tiger is assessed as Medium, indicating that intensified conservation could secure survival and enable substantial recovery over the next 100 years.”
Under a best-case scenario, as many as 11 regions could reach “Viable” status, where populations are stable and ecologically functional. Achieving this would require political will, funding, and cooperation with local communities.
Efforts in Thailand’s WEFCOM, Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park, and Malaysia’s Taman Negara show that well-managed reserves can host growing populations. Similar progress has been recorded in India’s central reserves and the shared landscapes of Bhutan and Nepal.
Human Dimension
Tigers live close to people, often in densely populated areas. Human-tiger conflict remains a major barrier to conservation. Retaliatory killings continue where tigers prey on livestock or threaten villages.
As per the report, 320 people were killed by tigers in India between 2014 and 2020. In Bangladesh and India’s Sundarbans, at least 40 people died between 2000 and 2010.
Balancing local livelihoods with wildlife protection is critical. “The future of tigers depends upon Asian governments creating effective tiger landscapes by conserving large areas of suitable habitat and maintaining connectivity,” the report states.
It also stresses the importance of community participation. Local patrols, compensation programs, and livelihood support have reduced conflict and encouraged cooperation in several tiger range countries.
Illegal trade in tiger parts remains one of the strongest threats. Skins, bones, and other body parts are trafficked across Asia, mainly for traditional medicine and luxury items.
As per the report, “Poaching for illegal trade in high-value tiger products, including skins, bones, meat, and tonics, is a primary threat to tigers, which, along with prey depletion, has led to their disappearance from broad areas of otherwise suitable habitat.”
A single tiger skin can sell for more than $15,000 in China. Tiger bone tonics are sold as luxury gifts or remedies in Vietnam and China. Despite international bans under CITES since 1975, enforcement challenges and continued demand sustain the trade.
Experts warn that tiger farming for commercial breeding undermines conservation and may fuel demand for wild tigers, which consumers often prefer.
Conservation Successes and Next Steps
The 2010 St. Petersburg Tiger Summit aimed to double wild tiger numbers by 2022. While that goal was not fully met, several range countries have made measurable progress. India’s population has nearly doubled since 2006, reaching around 3,000. Nepal, Bhutan, and Russia also report gains.
“Tigers now occur in only 10 of the 46 countries where they once bred,” said Thomas Gray, Tiger Recovery Lead for WWF. “Yet, this decline in range also represents an opportunity for conservationists to collaborate with governments and local communities to drive tiger recovery.”
The assessment identifies about one million square kilometers of unoccupied but suitable habitat across Asia. Reintroductions planned in Kazakhstan and Cambodia could expand the species’ range further.
“Despite the critical status, the assessment shows that conservation has successfully prevented further declines and remains vital in enabling future survival and recovery,” said Elliot Carlton, of the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group.
Molly Grace, Lecturer at the University of Oxford and Co-Chair of the IUCN Green Status Working Group, added, “Tigers have been listed as Endangered for decades, but the Green Status assessment shows that this isn’t the whole story. Conservation efforts have worked, and there is realistic hope for recovery in the future.”
A Fragile but Real Hope
The IUCN’s findings show that while tigers remain on the edge, their survival is not beyond reach. Conservation has slowed their decline and stabilized populations in key regions, proving that targeted protection works.
As per the report, “The tiger’s Green Status results highlight both the fragility and resilience of one of the planet’s most iconic species. While the assessment underscores the scale of the challenges ahead, it also confirms that conservation works, and that recovery is possible if protection, connectivity, and community engagement are strengthened.”
A century after near-eradication, tigers stand at a crossroads. The next few decades will decide whether their fragile recovery turns into lasting survival, or fades into another chapter of loss.
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