Saving tigers means saving ecosystems

International Tiger Day, observed on July 29, highlights how tiger conservation is increasingly focused not only on recovering populations but also on restoring the ecosystems that sustain them.

Spanning 14,100 square kilometers, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park is home to around 72 wild Siberian tigers, making it one of the species' most important strongholds in China.

Supported by an integrated monitoring system combining camera traps, satellite remote sensing and aerial surveys, AI-powered stripe-pattern recognition helps researchers identify individual tigers and track their movements, while long-term monitoring provides valuable data for conservation planning.

Its approach reflects a broader shift from protecting individual animals to conserving the ecosystems they depend on.

That approach mirrors a global trend. According to World Wildlife Fund, an estimated 5,574 wild tigers remain worldwide today, up significantly from an estimated 3,200 in 2010. Much of the recovery has been reported in India, Nepal and Bhutan, while Russia and China have also recorded population recovery.

Populations in parts of Southeast Asia, however, continue to face severe pressure from habitat loss, poaching and human-wildlife conflict. The next challenge is no longer increasing tiger numbers, but reconnecting fragmented habitats and improving coexistence between people and wildlife.

Earlier this year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced six initiatives across Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal and Thailand that combine habitat restoration, wildlife corridors, community participation and conflict mitigation.

Rather than focusing on protected areas alone, the projects aim to reconnect forests across national boundaries and strengthen connected ecosystems.

A recent study published in the Frontiers in Conservation Science journal likewise argues that long-term tiger recovery depends on maintaining ecological connectivity and integrating conservation with local livelihoods.

China's efforts are also extending beyond its borders. In 2024, China and Russia agreed to establish the "Land of Big Cats," a transboundary conservation area linking about 18,000 square kilometers of tiger and leopard habitat.

In Kazakhstan, Siberian tigers were released this year as part of an internationally supported effort to restore tigers to parts of their former range, where the Caspian tiger became extinct decades ago.

These initiatives show how tiger conservation is evolving from protecting a single species to safeguarding the connected landscapes on which both wildlife and people depend.

For more:

Uniting for tigers: A global conservation initiative