Tiger populations in India and Nepal have increased by almost one-third and two-thirds, respectively, over the past 5 years. But for these countries to achieve their goal of doubling their combined tiger numbers to more than 3,600 by 2022, they must take the human population into account as well.
India is projected to become the world's most populous nation by 2028, with around 1.45 billion people. This will place further pressure on tiger habitats such as those in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where hydropower projects are planned.
Local village populations are unlikely to cooperate with tiger conservation efforts while the animals continue to take livestock and kill humans (N. H. Carter et al. Ambio 43, 125â137; 2014). In India alone, tigers killed 822 people between 1990 and 2009 (N. P. S. Chauhan Julius Kühn Arch. http://doi.org/46k; 2011).
It is crucial for the Indian and Nepalese governments to install protection for villagers against tigers and to provide them with incentives to participate in tiger conservation. Improved management of existing reserves and more conservation areas are also a priority.
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Aryal, A. Factor people into tiger conservation. Nature 522, 287 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/522287a
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/522287a
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