NEW DELHI - India's wild tiger population is estimated to now exceed 3,600, according to new government figures released Saturday, in a vindication of conservation efforts for the endangered species, reports AFP. Further analysis of the same survey data by the Wildlife Institute of India found that average tiger numbers were better estimated at 3,682 across the country, the government said in a press release. "Continued efforts to protect tiger habitats and corridors are crucial for securing the future of India's tigers and their ecosystems for generations to come." India is believed to have had a tiger population of around 40,000 at the time of independence from Britain in 1947. Deforestation, poaching and human encroachment on habitats have devastated tiger populations across Asia.

Source: Daily Sun July 29, 2023 15:08 UTC