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Our News
Thailand's Tigers Recovering: investment in conservation leads to increase in tiger numbers
- The latest national wild tiger population estimate, released by the Royal Thai Government is between 179-223.
- The conservation success is a result of decades of conservation efforts by the Thai government, NGOs, local partners, and communities.
- Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to increase their national tiger population. Elsewhere in the region wild tiger populations are declining and in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam tigers have become extinct in the last 25 years.
Wildlife populations across Asia, including tigers and their prey, have suffered after decades of historic poaching and habitat loss. However, conservation effort and investment in Thailand has led to tiger recovery particularly the core protected areas of the Western Forest Complex in western Thailand.
Significant investment in the country’s ranger workforce which patrol national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, and the institutionalisation of SMART, has improved the protection of tiger habitat and reduced poaching.
Conservation efforts have also focused on restoring tiger prey populations, such as sambar deer and banteng. Since 2021, WWF-Thailand has supported the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) in releasing over 100 sambar deer into tiger landscapes. Reintroduced sambar deer are monitored after release with GPS collars and camera trap surveys to track their survival and understand their movements. WWF-Thailand will continue to support the government with further sambar deer reintroductions in the future.
“I congratulate The Royal Thai Government on their announcement. It has been a long journey to get here and I’m proud it’s one WWF-Thailand has and continues to support. Thailand is driving tiger conservation forward in the region, and I hope this success inspires other governments in Southeast Asia to invest in tiger recovery efforts. Because when we protect tigers, we protect so much more and we can’t afford to lose the momentum everyone has fought so hard to build. Now is the time for urgency and action.” Natalie Phaholyothin, CEO, WWF-Thailand.
“Thailand is a beacon of hope for tiger recovery in Southeast Asia. Recovering wild tiger populations requires significant and sustained conservation interventions over many years and this new tiger population estimate is an historic moment. Building on this success, there is now an opportunity to be proactive for tiger recovery in Thailand, and consider how to return tigers to many of the well managed protected area complexes across the country which have lost their tigers,” Stuart Chapman, Lead of WWF Tigers Alive Initiative.
For media requests, please contact:
Oranit Bunyaprasit | WWF-Thailand | oranitb@wwf.or.th
Jenny Roberts | WWF-Tigers Alive | jroberts@wwf-tigers.org