header: Tiger WWF Logo
line
Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758)

POPULATION

There are no recent accurate estimates of the world tiger population. They have declined dramatically by about 95 per cent since the turn of the century -- from perhaps 100,000 to the present estimate of 5,000 to 7,500. In the past 50 years, three subspecies - the Bali, Javan and Caspian Tigers - have become extinct; the South China tiger is on the verge of extinction.23,15

There is a lack of consensus amongst experts as to the most accurate method of estimating tiger populations, a task hampered by the species' solitary nature, large territory size and often inaccessible habitat. It must be emphasized that most population figures (see table) are rough estimates only.14,15

THE STATUS OF THE TIGER Panthera t. tigris (Linnaeus 1758) in February 1998

Table I compiled by Peter Jackson, Chairman, Cat Specialist Group, World Conservation Union (IUCN) from reports from range countries. Most estimates are educated guesses, but censuses in Nepal and Russia provided more reliable numbers.


Tiger Sub-species

Minimum

Maximum

Source *

Bengal (Indian) tiger P.t. tigris (Linnaeus 1758)

(3,159)

(4,715)


Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar




Bangladesh

362

362

1

Bhutan

50

240

2a,b

China

30

35

3

India

2,500

3,750

4a,b

Myanmar, Western

124

231

5

Nepal

93

97

6

Caspian (Turan/Hyrcanian) tiger P.t. virgata (Illiger 1815)




Formerly Afghanistan, Iran, Chinese and Russian Turkestan, Turkey

Extinct 1970s


Amur (Siberian/Ussuri/Manchurian/North-East China tiger

(445)

(511)


P.t. altaica (Temminck 1844)




China

30

35

3

Korea (North)

<10

<10

7

Russia

415

476

8

Javan tiger P.t. sondaica (Temminck 1844)

Extinct 1980s

South China (Amoy) tiger P.t. amoyensis (Hilzheimer 1905)

20

30

3

Bali tiger P.t. balica (Schwarz 1912)

Extinct 1940s

Sumatran tiger P.t. sumatrae Pocock 1929

400

500

9

Indo-Chinese tiger P.t. corbetti Mazák 1968

(1,227)

(1,785)


Cambodia

150

300

10

China

30

40

3

Laos

Present


Malaysia

491

510

11

Myanmar, Eastern

106

234

5

Thailand

250

501

12a,b

Vietnam

200

200

13

TOTALS

5,251

7,541


ROUNDED TOTALS (nearest 500)

5,000

7,500



Major population: With 912 tigers reported by a 1993 census, Madhya Pradesh State (India) holds about one sixth of the remaining world population of tigers. Although the state has 22 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks (including five tiger reserves) containing tigers, poaching incidents continue; 50 such incidents were reported over a six month period in early 1995.16

* see references section for sources of Table I

<---- Contents
line