How many tigers are there in the world

Other countries can learn from the likes of India and Nepal which have seen big increases. That means supporting communities and including them in the conservation efforts. Listen to Newsbeat live at and weekdays - or listen back here. Image source, WWF. In Bhutan's Royal Manas National Park the population rose from only 10 tigers a decade ago to 22 in Image source, Getty Images.

What can we do to protect tigers? Becci says "a real team effort" is needed. Some 2, Bengal tigers live in Nepal, Bhutan, and India. The paltry remainder—1, tigers—is split among the other four subspecies: Siberian, Indochinese, Malay, and Sumatran.

These tigers are almost extinct. The greatest threat? Demand for tiger parts is skyrocketing. Tiger expert Judith Mills explains why. That demand means that every wild tiger has a price on its head. These businesses exist in violation of a decision by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a treaty signed by nations, that tiger farms should be phased out and tigers should not be commercially bred.

She is a public policy fellow at the Wilson Center. Follow her on Twitter. Read more stories about wildlife crime and exploitation on Wildlife Watch. Send tips, feedback, and story ideas to ngwildlife natgeo. All rights reserved. What's Driving Tigers Toward Extinction? Share Tweet Email. Read This Next Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London Love them or hate them, there's no denying their growing numbers have added an explosion of color to the city's streets.

India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big Grassroots efforts are bringing solar panels to rural villages without electricity, while massive solar arrays are being built across the country. Epic floods leave South Sudanese to face disease and starvation.

Three tiger subspecies, the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers, became extinct in the s. Unfortunately, tigers have been hunted by man for centuries. Killing a tiger was once considered a status symbol and the spoils were used to adorn the walls and floors of the upper classes. And the main prize is the use of tiger parts in traditional Chinese medicine. In India , the trophy-obsessed British Raj hunted tigers as a pastime.

The British hunting culture along with the destruction of habitat has reduced the Bengal tiger population from around 40, tigers in when India gained independence to less than tigers. According to WWF, the tiger population in the wild has recovered and there are now tigers are left in the world in the wild.

The Bengal tiger is a subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been hours since we left our camp and it feels like we have been driving around Ranthambore National Park forever. Our guide, Nafiz, is trying his best to show us a tiger but so far the dry deciduous forest has revealed sambar, nilgai and chital deer along with langur monkeys hanging around under a tree.

We pass some crocodiles lying on a riverbank and spot a cheeky mongoose spying on us between blades of straw-coloured grass. The mongoose was well camouflaged and would have been difficult to spot were it not for the sharp eyesight of our guide.

While driving around the forest, we pass other jeeps and huge canters trucks packed with about 20 people. But our search has so far been unfruitful. He points to a spot beneath the bulwarks of the 10th-century Ranthambore Fort. Due to the dwindling tiger population, seeing a tiger in the wild is becoming increasingly challenging. A tiger safari is nothing like an African wildlife safari.

In Africa, it would not be unusual to see lions, cheetahs and leopards within a short drive from your safari camp. Spotting tigers is even harder than spotting gorillas as a gorilla trek in Uganda or Rwanda offer a high chance of getting close to them. Chinese culture has mythologized the powers of the tiger and tiger parts have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over years.

The unfortunate part about this is most of these ailments can be treated with over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin, or natural remedies. Even so, the demand for tiger parts for use in traditional medicine continues to fuel tiger poaching.