Born Free is heartened by today’s news that the number of wild tigers in India has increased by more than 30% in the last four years to 2,967.

Born Free’s Living with Tigers programme works across central India to tackle the poaching crisis, safeguard tiger habitats and find Compassionate Conservation solutions so that people and wildlife can live alongside each other peacefully.

The new figures, released by the Indian government, found in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, where Born Free’s Living with Tigers operates, the number of wild tigers increased from 308 to 526, and from 190 to 312 respectively between 2014 and 2018.

Penny Banham, Born Free’s Conservation Projects Officer, said: “We are delighted that tiger numbers in India have increased to 2,967 individuals, a 30% increase since the last census in 2014. These encouraging results reflect the enormous efforts of dedicated conservationists and policy makers to double tiger numbers by 2022, as set out by the Tx2 goal. 

“However, tigers are still severely threatened across their range. Reducing human-tiger conflict, ending poaching, improving habitat quality and connectivity and increasing prey numbers across in India and beyond will be vital in the success and perpetuity of tigers.”