TOTAL NUMBER
Previous (yr 2010) : 3200
Current (2015) : 3890
INDIA (has most of the world's tigers)
Previous (2010) : 1706
Current (2015) : 2226
BHUTAN
Previous (unknown): 75 (not field survey)
Newest (2015) : 103 (first ever field survey)
NEPAL
Previous (2009) : 117
Current (2015) : 198
RUSSIA
Previous (unknown) : 360
Current (2015) : 443
INDONESIA
Previous (unknown) : ???
Current (2016) : 371 (rough estimate)
MALAYSIA
Previous (unknown) : ???
Current (2015) : 250
CHINA
Previous (around 2010) : it is estimated that there were zero tigers but there was no field survey
Current (2016) : 7 (rough estimate. no field survey)
VIETNAM
Previous (unknown) : ???
Current (2016) : 5 (rough estimate. no field survey)
LAOS
Previous (unknown) : ???
Current (2016) : 2 (rough estimate. no field survey)
CAMBODIA
Previous (unknown) : ???
Current (2016) : 0 (rough estimate. no field survey)
MYANMAR
Unknown. No survey conducted.
BANGLADESH
Drop from 440 to 106 but this could be because the first number was not from a field survey.
(Which just sounds like an excuse to me.)
THAILAND
Current (2015) : 189
WAIT. What are Field Surveys?
You're probably wondering what a field survey is. First, tigers' stripes are like our finger prints. No two tigers are the same. Which is cool and handy dandy. So, field researchers will set up camera traps to capture the tigers' pics.
Oh hello there! |
Another way, which, apparently isn't very favorable cuz you do have to drug the tiger for your own safety...collaring. You shoot a tiger with stuff that makes them sleepy and sloppy and you put a radio tracking collar around their necks. It is linked to a satallite and while you're at it, you take a bunch of samples like fur and claws and check their teeth and measure a bunch of stuff.
Tiger with radio collar tracking device thing. |
Finally, you need to track their paws. Pawprints to be exact. And anything else they might have left behind, poo (yep, that's right), claw marks, leftover meals (gross but it's evidence a tiger has been there), or tufts of fur (tigers are just big kitty cats. they shed, too).
Couldn't find any good pawprint pics but anyway, that's how field researchers collect data on tigers. It's a long process no doubt but the results are rewarding (I'm guessing).
TX2 aims to double wild tigers by 2022 which is the next year of the tiger. Is it possible? I hope so.
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References
National Geographic: Tiger Numbers Rise for First Time in a Century (published Apr 10, 2016)
WWF Stories: An Amazing 103 Wild Tigers Counted in Bhutan (published Jul 29, 2015)
WWF Stories: For the first time in 100 years, tigers numbers are growing (published Apr 10, 2016)
WWF: TX2 website