Tiger Stories

Last September, two tigers named Bodhana and Kuma stepped into a new enclosure—and into history.

Today tigers are found in just about 8% of the places they lived in just a couple of hundred years ago. Increasing global tiger range is critically important for restoring nature loss and must happen in a way that benefits local communities.

Here's how small-scale farming in wildlife corridors benefits people and biodiversity

After years of concerted conservation efforts, Thailand’s wild tiger populations are increasing, with a new estimate of 179-223 tigers. This news, released by the Royal Thai Government, comes after decades of poaching and forest loss that has threatened Thailand’s wild tiger population.

Tigers deserve recognition as mighty climate heroes. Tigers bring balance to their ecosystems as top predators, keep forests healthy by preventing overgrazing, and contribute to biodiversity where they live. Their status as icons is also important in protecting vital carbon-sequestering ecosystems, as they raise significant funds for conservation initiatives.

When tigers are confiscated from the illegal trade or voluntarily surrendered by owners, they are transported to the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center where they are cared for, alongside other rescued animals, like birds and reptiles.

After decades of conservation efforts, global wild tiger numbers have been increasing, but the progress is fragile, and we can’t afford to lose momentum. What’s the next urgent step for them? We must pounce on sustainable financing so that we can continue our conservation progress.

The illegal trafficking of wildlife through, to, and from Viet Nam is a long-standing issue, but impressive strides to curb the problem have been made in recent years.

Some facilities are focused on turning a profit (think: photos with tiger cubs) instead of offering sanctuary or any conservation value.

Under the USAID Saving Threatened Wildlife project, WWF supports Viet Nam’s efforts to reduce illegal wildlife trafficking by engaging with leaders in the Vietnamese government, private sector, and civil society. WWF-Viet Nam and its governmental and NGO partners have been advocating for and working towards stronger regulation and management of Viet Nam’s captive tiger facilities.

We sat down with Anh Le from WWF-Viet Nam to find out more about this critical work and how it’s helping to protect tigers in Viet Nam and across Asia.

Months after their initial setup, the camera traps revealed the rich diversity of wildlife in one of the world’s oldest forests and what’s at stake if poaching, deforestation, and human-wildlife conflict are not addressed.

The high-definition camera traps captured the presence of an impressive array of animals—including barking deer, clouded leopard, langur, dhole, tapir, elephant, and sun bear.

The new population estimate from the Global Tiger Forum is about 5,574 wild tigers. Since the 2010 tiger population estimate notable advancements in how we invest and monitor tigers can be seen in this new number which demonstrates about a 74% increase.

As a result of a longstanding and steadfast commitment to conservation, Bhutan has increased the number of tigers within its borders by 27% since 2015—an astounding achievement. There are now an estimated 131 tigers in this eastern Himalayan country, according to the most recent survey conducted in 2021 and 2022.

Each tiger sighting represented a symbol of hope, even defiance. Despite mounting threats, tiger numbers in India have continued to rise steadily in the last decade. That success, we saw firsthand, is thanks in no small part to local communities and conservationists.

Incredible footage of a tigress and her three cubs was recorded in western Thailand last year. With only 148-189 wild tigers in all of Thailand, a tiger sighting is rare and even rarer to see a tigress with three well-developed cubs.

Tigers have faced unprecedented threats for many years, but conservation efforts over the past decade have shown that recovering tigers from the brink of extinction is possible when we transcend boundaries and work together.

In a major win for tigers, the US Senate passed legislation that will help prevent captive tigers from ending up in the illegal trade of their parts and products—a primary threat to big cats in the wild. The Big Cat Public Safety Act now goes to President Biden to sign.

This year’s conference concluded with several positives for wildlife with new and renewed global protections against poaching, illegal, and unsustainable trade in wild animals and plants that could help reverse trends driving the loss of global biodiversity.

Combatting climate change helps save wildlife populations around the globe, but the reverse is also true: Wildlife conservation plays an essential role in regulating our climate. By saving wildlife, we help save the planet, including ourselves.

Nepal is now the second country to double its wild tiger population. It’s an incredible achievement and testament to the conservation efforts of the government, partners, and local communities over the last 12 years.

Mahua Pramanik and her husband are one of around 80 families involved in a honey cooperative that uses apiaries—or human-made beehives—placed in secure, netted areas on the edge of the forest. Collecting wild honey in the reserves leaves moulis vulnerable to tiger attacks, and approximately six honey collectors die each year in the Sundarbans due to human-tiger conflict.

With fewer than 150 individuals, tigers in Malaysia are on the brink of extinction. So imagine the surprise and joy when tiger conservationists spotted a tigress with four cubs on camera traps set up to monitor the population.

Finding effective ways to partner with people living and working in areas where tigers roam is vital for the long-term recovery of these big cats.