India addresses human-tiger conflict as tiger numbers rise

India is marking International Tiger Day on July 29, 2026, as a global leader in tiger conservation, but the nation's success in reviving its iconic big cat population is now confronting significant new challenges. With India home to nearly 70 percent of the world's wild tigers, the expanding population is increasingly spilling beyond the boundaries of protected reserves, leading to heightened human-wildlife conflict, habitat fragmentation, and emerging disease threats.

Official data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) shows 114 tiger deaths were recorded between January 1 and July 26, 2026. A concerning trend within this data is the significant number of mortalities occurring outside notified tiger reserves, in territorial forests, revenue lands, and villages. As tiger numbers have more than doubled since 2006 to an estimated 3,682, available habitat has not kept pace. Dispersing tigers are forced into human-dominated landscapes, exposing them to accidents, poaching, and retaliatory killings.

Another major concern is the emergence of Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) in wild tiger populations. The virus, which can be transmitted from domestic dogs, poses a serious...