The Count That Changed Everything
In 1973, the All-India Tiger Census recorded fewer than 1,800 tigers across the country. The number was a shock, not because it was surprising to people who lived near forests, but because it was now official. Project Tiger launched that year under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, designating nine reserves across the country and placing them under centralised management. By the most recent National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) census, conducted using camera traps and pugmark analysis across more than 26 states, the population had crossed 3,600. No other country has achieved a comparable recovery of a wild apex predator at this scale.
