Crunch Time for India's Tigers: Numbers Down By Half

At the last census in 2002, observers counted 3,642 tigers across India.

The government report, "State of tiger, co-predators and prey in India," released in New Delhi on Tuesday, said there has been an overall loss in India's tiger population.

WWF calls the census, "the most reliable picture yet of the state of the Indian tiger."

"This is the most complete census ever undertaken of tigers in India, or of wild tigers anywhere else in the world," said the global conservation organization.

The "State of tiger" reports a litany of grim tales.

Once a tiger reserve, Sariska National Park has no tigers left.

Today, the state of Andhra Pradesh has only 95 tigers, when in 2002 there were 192 tigers in the state.

Most tiger range Indian states have lost at least half their tigers since 2002, and Orissa has lost even more - only 45 tigers remain out of the 173 that were counted then.

This tiger wears a collar to provide scientists with information about its whereabouts and habits. (Photo courtesy Talia Goodyear)

"These estimates are distressingly low," said Sujoy Banerjee, director, species conservation, WWF-India. "But at least we now have better habitat and population data than ever before and we can intervene more strategically and more effectively to help ensure that tiger populations recover, and that India can maintain its national symbol."

"It is of great concern that some reserves appear to have lost their tigers, pointing to a clear need to upgrade and maintain the general level of protection offered in reserves," said Banerjee, "but apart from this, the matter of real concern is the tigers outside the tiger reserves, national parks and sanctuaries."

"If attention is not paid to their conservation we will lose them altogether," he warned. "The continued threat from poaching and illegal trade in tiger parts must be met with enhanced enforcement efforts."

Some of India's tigers states have lost more than others. In Chhattisgarh only 26 tigers are left, according to the new census, out of 227 seen there in 2002.

WWF complimented the Indian government’s National Tiger Conservation Authority for its decision to undertake a scientific assessment of tiger population through an independent research agency, the Wildlife Institute of India.

"It is also amply clear," said Banerjee, "that the tiger numbers are at the threshold, and if the numbers go down any further, then recovery may not be possible at all."

"The time has come for the government and all other institutions and agencies to show serious commitment to tiger conservation if at all we wish to see tiger in the wild in India in the future."

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