The Tiger Census 2022, released recently, estimates that India has 3,167 tigers at present. This is a slight increase from the figure in 2018’s report, which was 2,967. Project Tiger first began in 1973 when there was an alarming decline of the national animal. From the nine reserves the country had in 1973, there are now 53 reserves, spanning over 75,000 sq km, roughly 2.3% of India’s land area. Since 2006, a tiger census has been carried out every four years. There are, however, criticisms with regard to the methodologies adopted.

What do the numbers revealed in the current census mean for tiger conservation? What are the major threats facing tigers at present? Can India support bigger tiger numbers, and if so, what can be done to achieve this?

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