2.Tiger population in India: According to the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) survey the tiger population in India increased by 30% over the past two decades.

• About the key findings: 85% of breeding populations are sustained in protected areas devoid of humans through land sparing.

o Source populations supported by corridors and sustainable land-use practices helped tiger dispersal into multi-use forests.

o Tigers now coexist with over 66 million people, proving coexistence is possible.

o Strong legislative support has aided tiger recovery, including - Wildlife Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

o Economic prosperity and cultural values have influenced tiger persistence, recovery, and colonisation.

o Higher tiger recolonisation observed in regions with lower forest dependence and better socio-economic conditions.

o Tiger decline seen in areas with high poverty and armed conflict (e.g., Naxal-affected regions of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand).

• Key recommendations for future conservation: Expand protected areas and habitat corridors.

o Strengthen anti-poaching measures.

o Promote sustainable livelihoods for communities near tiger habitats.

o Enhance human-wildlife conflict mitigation through early warning systems and rapid response teams.

• About: The tiger is a large cat and a member of the genus Panthera native to Asia.

o Subspecies of tiger: the continental (Panthera tigris tigris) and the Sunda (Panthera tigris sondaica)

o Habitats: Tropical rainforests, evergreen forests, temperate forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, and savannas

o Status: IUCN Red list – Endangered, CITES Status - Appendix 1, and Wild life protection Act Tiger Range Countries: Schedule 1

o Found: 13 countries which include India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR (People's Democratic Republic), Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Viet Nam, China and Indonesia.