The tiger remains a globally recognized symbol of wildlife, but its future continues to hang in a precarious balance. Despite decades of conservation efforts, the magnificent cat is still fighting for its survival across its fragmented range in Asia. Localized successes in increasing population numbers have been achieved in several countries, yet the species as a whole remains under severe threat due to persistent human pressures.
The Current Conservation Status
The direct answer to whether the tiger is still endangered is yes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species classifies the tiger (Panthera tigris) as Endangered (EN). This status reflects a significant population decline, plummeting from an estimated 100,000 wild tigers at the turn of the 20th century to an all-time low of around 3,200 by 2010.
Recent conservation efforts have led to a positive shift, with the global population estimate increasing to approximately 5,574 wild individuals as of a 2023 report by the Global Tiger Forum. This increase represents a 74% rise since 2010. However, the Endangered classification remains due to the species’ continued vulnerability, fragmented habitat, and a range contraction of over 93% from its historical extent.
Primary Drivers of Population Decline
The decline of the tiger population is driven by two primary threats: habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. Tigers require vast, connected territories to hunt and maintain genetic diversity, but human development has severely limited this space. The expansion of agriculture, infrastructure projects like roads, and resource extraction, such as logging and mining, cause fragmentation, isolating small tiger populations in “islands” of forest.
Habitat fragmentation compounds the problem by leading to localized prey depletion, as large ungulates are often subject to unsustainable hunting for bushmeat. When tigers struggle to find natural prey, they may turn to domestic livestock, which often leads to retaliatory killings by local communities, intensifying human-wildlife conflict. Poaching is the second major threat, fueled by illegal demand for tiger parts in luxury markets and traditional medicine. Nearly every part of the tiger is sought after, driving a lucrative black market often controlled by organized crime networks.
Distinctions Among Tiger Subspecies
The conservation status of the tiger is complex because the species is not a single entity; scientists recognize six living subspecies whose individual statuses vary widely. The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the most numerous, with a population estimated to be over 2,600 individuals, and is listed as Endangered. The Amur (or Siberian) tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) has also seen some recovery in Russia and China and is listed as Endangered.
In contrast, the island-dwelling Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), found only on Sumatra, is listed as Critically Endangered (CR) due to rapid habitat conversion for palm oil plantations and extensive poaching. The Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) and the South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) are also classified as Critically Endangered, with the South China tiger possibly extinct in the wild. This variation highlights that while some mainland populations are stabilizing, island and Southeast Asian populations are at the highest risk of extinction, following the fate of the three already extinct subspecies: the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers.
Global Conservation and Recovery Efforts
The increase in global tiger numbers is largely a result of unified international commitments. The TX2 initiative, launched in 2010, set a goal to double the number of wild tigers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022. This endeavor fostered greater political will and resulted in a coordinated Global Tiger Recovery Plan across the 13 tiger range countries.
A primary focus of these efforts is the establishment and effective management of protected areas and wildlife corridors. Corridors are safe passages that connect fragmented habitats, allowing tigers to move between areas to find mates and maintain genetic flow. Anti-poaching measures have been significantly enhanced through increased patrols and the deployment of advanced technology like camera traps and drones. Furthermore, community-based programs offer alternative livelihoods tied to conservation, shifting the relationship between humans and tigers from conflict to coexistence.