Increase in global wild tiger numbers

For the first time in recent history, the estimated number of tigers in the wild has increased, giving hope to conservationists across the globe. The global wild tiger population has been steadily declining from 150,000 in 1900 due to poaching, habitat loss and development across tiger-range countries. In 2024, the global wild tiger estimate was reported at an all-time low of 3,200. There are now an estimated 5,000 wild tigers across 10 countries from Russia to Indonesia.

Overall, however, the status of wild Tigers is still CRITCAL. Whilst wild tiger populations in India are on the rise, numbers are dwindling across S E Asia.

TIGER THREATS

Unfortunately, the threats that are driving wild tigers closer to extinction all stem from us, man. Tigers are threatened by poaching, habitat loss, conflict with humans, captive tiger farming and climate change.

Poaching and the illegal wildlife trade

The demand for wild tiger skins, bones, parts, and derivatives makes illegal poaching & wildlife crime, without a doubt, the biggest and most concerning threat that the world’s remaining wild tigers face.

Demand for these products drives organised illegal trade leading to rapid declines and local extinctions. Since 2000 at least 1,031 skins and carcasses have been intercepted, along with 136 live tigers. However, this likely represents just 10 % of the actual numbers being trafficked. The illegal wildlife trade is thought to be worth around 20 billion USD $ per year.

Why are endangered tigers killed for their skins and parts?

As is the case with Rhino horn and Elephant ivory, tiger skins, parts and related products are considered luxury and prestigious items in many cultures and therefore command a huge price on the black market globally.
`Traditionally products from wild tigers are seen to be more authentic and potent and command a higher price. Therefore, products from captive bred tigers will never satisfy the demand for those from wild tigers.

Examples of tiger products and their uses include:

Tiger skins are turned into rugs or stuffed and used as luxury home décor. Such displays of wealth are thought to symbolise power (impunity) and wealth in some cultures.
Tiger bones are used to make “bone strengthening wine”. In China this is often a tonic (with unproven health benefits) and as a prestigious gift. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, tiger bone wine has been used for over 1000 years, believed to cure a range of ailments, including arthritis and eczema. Among Chinese consumers in Laos, tiger bone wine is marketed as a virility product for men (scientific research shows no effect on virility
Read EIA’s report on the manufacture of tiger bone wine in China.
Tiger claws and teeth are widely used as amulets or trinkets across the globe.

How Do We Change Behaviour?

To put an end to the illegal poaching of wild tigers, we need to work towards reducing demand for tiger skins, bones, parts & derivatives.
Demand reduction is about wider public awareness, consumer behaviour change, reform in policies, and strengthened law enforcement. While there have been great strides in diverse demand reduction campaigns for elephant ivory and rhino horn, an equivalent emphasis and level of investment in campaigns to reduce demand for tiger parts and products is urgently needed.

With your help, Save Wild Tigers will liaise & work with a diverse group of stakeholders, including our charity NGO partners including the EIA and other tiger conservation organisations in supporting initiatives fighting the illegal trade.

Loss of habitat

Over the past 100 years, tiger habitats have dwindled as they’ve been overtaken by agriculture, plantations, timber logging, human settlements and access routes.
Only 7% of the tiger’s historical range is intact today and tiger habitats are left in isolated areas. This results in small pockets of tiger habitat surrounded by human populations. Not only can this result in human/tiger conflicts as tigers roam to find new habitats, but it can also result in inbreeding in small populations which can reduce genetic diversity.

Tigers roam across some of Asia’s greatest and worryingly last reserves of ancient rainforests. These ranges not only are home to some of the most bio diverse forests anywhere in the world, but these same tiger ranges also include some of the globes most critical watersheds supplying water to over 800 million people, whilst hugely helping in the fight against climate change.

Habitat varies across the species from Siberia to India. However, the majority of Tigers in Asia and India however live in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. Tigers live in secluded forests, grasslands, mountains and hills around secluded forest locations in which they are concealed and camouflaged.
Ancient rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is the home not only to the Sumatran tiger but the endangered orangutang, meanwhile in India the tiger habitat is home to the rare Asian elephant, in Myanmar tiger habitat is the forest home to rare fauna. What links all these bio diverse habitats and species, the iconic wild tiger

Captive tiger farming

Captive Tiger farming is a massive issue. In Asia more than twice the numbers of wild tigers are kept in captivity, approximately 8000 tigers are kept in 240 captive facilities in South-East Asia and China. Tiger farms worsen the poaching crisis through maintaining a demand for tiger products, including those from the wild.

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