With less than 3200 wild tigers in 2010, the heads of 13 tiger-range countries committed to doubling the global population of wild tigers by 2022. This goal represents the highest level of ambition and commitment required to turn the tide for tigers in the wild. Yet, ensuring efficient and targeted implementation of conservation actions alongside systematic monitoring of progress towards this goal requires that we set site-specific recovery targets and timelines that are ecologically realistic. In this study, we assess the recovery potential of 18 sites identified under WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. We delineated recovery systems comprising a source, recovery site, and support region, which need to be managed synergistically to meet these targets. By using the best available data on tiger and prey numbers, and adapting existing species recovery frameworks, we show that these sites, which currently support 165 (118–277) tigers, have the potential to harbour 585 (454–739) individuals. This would constitute a 15% increase in the global population and represent over a three-fold increase within these specific sites, on an average. However, it may not be realistic to achieve this target by 2022, since tiger recovery in 15 of these 18 sites is contingent on the initial recovery of prey populations, which is a slow process. We conclude that while sustained conservation efforts can yield significant recoveries, it is critical that we commit our resources to achieving the biologically realistic targets for these sites even if the timelines are extended.
Human activities affect wildlife in several ways, ungulates tend to avoid areas of high human use and alter their behavior to avoid human activity. We used remote camera traps to quantify the relative abundance and activity of wild ungulates in high and low human use areas within Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR). Major human activity in NSTR included collection of forest produce and fuel wood, and livestock grazing. Poaching for bush-meat and the use of hunting dogs was also prevalent, but could not be quantified. The relative abundance of wild ungulates was high in low human-use areas except for chital and wild pigs, which require flat terrain and water found in prime areas for settlements. Diurnal ungulates like Chital and Nilgai substantially altered their activity in response to human activity, as did nocturnal species like Sambar and Mouse Deer. The demographic response of ungulates in NSTR has been poor compared to other tiger reserves that have been made free of human use. Our research highlights the importance of having human-free protected areas so as to achieve the desired conservation objectives of harbouring viable populations of large carnivores that require high prey abundance.
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