Some subspecies are completely extinct and some are critically endangered.
Three subspecies are extinct and only eight subspecies are left in the wild. But how many are left in the entire world?
In short, there are around 13, 000 tigers left in the world and it is common knowledge that these tigers are spread around parts of Asia, India, Russia, China, the island of Sumatra, and Thailand.
Although the tiger population in the wild is low, some initiatives and programs are trying to protect the remaining tigers and subspecies and increase their population, and the good news is that some of these efforts are working!
In this article, we look at the tiger population in closer detail, from the number of tigers in captivity, in the wild, and more. Let’s jump in.
Tiger Numbers In Captivity
There is a lot of variation in the estimates of wild tigers as it can be difficult to count each one.
However, most sources suggest that in captivity, there are around 8000 tigers left.
These are much lower numbers than before humans were introduced to the planet and before the human population, it was estimated there were over 100, 000 tigers in the world!
However, when humans came along, population growth led to them being pushed out of their habitats.
A lot of countries have now banned ownership of tigers and so people can no longer keep them as pets. However, they are still kept in zoos and wildlife organizations.
In the United States, it is still legal to own a tiger as a pet, but certain states have imposed restrictions on ownership and some states require you to have a permit to keep a tiger as a pet.
Tiger Numbers In The Wild
If we want to work out how many tigers are left in the world, we would need the numbers of tigers both in captivity, as pets, and in the wild.
In this wild, there are around 3200 tigers and the big drop in population is largely down to poaching.
With only 5000 tigers in the wild and as pets, it is estimated there are around 13, 000 tigers in the world.
Hunting tigers and prey has led to a massive decrease in population and the loss of habitat from human growth has also contributed to this.
Logging and farming practices have destroyed tiger habitats and tigers are also killed by villagers when there are cases of conflict killing.
Humans over the years have damaged habitats and this is from the development of deforestation and building roads in tiger populated areas.
Killing The Tiger Population
Only a hundred years ago, there were around 100,000 tigers in Asia and since there are now only about 3200, this means the population has seen a huge drop.
Of the 3200, only 1400 are breeding females and since the tiger is an endangered species, this means they do face extinction in the wild.
As we have mentioned, the main reason for tiger killing is down to illegal poaching and hunting.
People often hunt and poach tigers to either sell tiger skin on the black market, or they see them as a threat to livestock on farms and in rarer cases, they are even killed for hunter trophies.
Moreover, tigers have also been hunted for their body parts as they are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
A lot of people think that tracking tiger bones can cure them of illness and therefore tiger bones have become very valuable.
This value in the illegal trade has encouraged the black market as poachers can up around $50, 000 per tiger.
A lot of Asian nations have now signed a declaration to try and double the tiger populations in areas and this aims to stop poaching completely and other threats.
They hope to decrease these threats by 50% over the next 10 years and the signatories have said they are going to help protect habitats for all tigers.
They have also said there will be a crackdown on illegal trade and they are going to be promoting more sustainable development and farming practices.
Where Is The Largest Tiger Population Found?
Tigers are mostly found in parts of Eastern Russia through India and China to Bali and Sumatra.
The largest tiger population is found in India and there are estimated to be up to 4500 tigers living in the country.
However, this number is not exact and some experts claim there are as few as 1400 living there.
In Indonesia however, there are less than 400 tigers left and not more than 250 tigers in Bali.
How Can We Help The Tiger Population?
Tigers in the wild are struggling to survive as we have gone through in this article but luckily there are things we can do as humans that can help.
We can help to protect their habitats from any further development projects and we can crack down on illegal hunting and poaching.
We should also as a human population try to reduce any conflict between people and tigers and work together to try and protect the species that are left.
We can join conservation groups, donate to charities that are helping to save the tigers, or even organize a conservation project.
Final Thoughts
We hope you have enjoyed this article on the tiger population and understand how and why the tiger population is decreasing.
From hunting and poaching to deforestation, tigers are close to extinction and this is something we need to stop as a human population.
So keep donating, keep researching and keep contributing to conservation projects and we will eventually increase the population back up again!
Hi, my name is Joe Edwards and I am fascinated by the world of big cats. It all started when my family and I visited a safari park when I was six years old. I begged my parents to get me a stuffed lion as a memento, and later a book about big cats for Christmas.
Now, over 20 years later, I still can’t get enough of them!
