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For more than a decade, tiger conservation has been one of the world’s great conservation success stories. Populations are recovering across parts of Asia after decades of decline, demonstrating what sustained investment, strong partnerships and science-based conservation can achieve. 

But recovery is only part of the story. 

Bengal Tiger

As tiger populations recover across parts of Asia, people and wildlife are increasingly sharing the same landscapes. Communities living alongside tigers are increasingly navigating the challenges of protecting their livelihoods, livestock and, in some cases, their own safety. Ensuring that conservation delivers for both people and wildlife is becoming one of the defining challenges of tiger conservation. 

At the 2026 International Tiger Day, observed on Wednesday, July 29, the IUCN is highlighting the effective, locally led solutions helping to enable coexistence while celebrating the communities, conservation practitioners and partners working every day to secure a future for both people and tigers. 

Under this year’s theme, “Coexistence in action: Scaling solutions for people and tigers,” the focus is on the people working to enable coexistence on the ground. Indigenous Peoples, local communities, governments, conservation organisations and frontline teams all play a critical role in reducing conflict, improving safety and securing a future where people and tigers can thrive together in increasingly shared landscapes.  

“Conservation success cannot be measured by species recovery alone,” said Ana Nieto, Global Head of Species Conservation Action at IUCN. “Lasting success depends on whether people living alongside wildlife are safer, better supported and able to benefit from conservation. Coexistence is not simply an outcome; it is the foundation of effective tiger conservation.” 

IUCN contributes to tiger conservation through the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP), its flagship tiger initiative funded by the German Cooperation (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank. 

Working across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand, ITHCP supports local communities, conservation organisations and governments to strengthen habitat protection, tackle poaching, restore degraded forests and develop practical solutions that help people and tigers coexist safely. 

These efforts have contributed to the estimated 40% increase in global tiger numbers between 2015 and 2022, demonstrating how long-term investment, landscape-scale conservation and strong partnerships can help recover threatened species while supporting people and ecosystems. 

Across priority tiger landscapes, more than 12,000 hectares of habitat have been restored or brought under improved conservation management, helping reconnect forests that are essential for tigers and countless other species. More than 12,500 people have been trained to strengthen law enforcement and improve the management of tiger habitats, while over 107,000 people have benefited from sustainable livelihood opportunities, human-wildlife coexistence measures and access to clean energy solutions, with women representing 54% of beneficiaries. Awareness-raising initiatives have also reached more than 744,000 people, including over 170,000 children, helping build long-term support for tiger conservation across the region. 

On the ground, ITHCP partners are helping communities reduce the risks associated with living alongside tigers through practical measures such as predator-proof livestock corrals, solar fencing, early warning systems, Rapid Response Teams, and community-based monitoring. Sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism and other locally led livelihood initiatives are also helping reduce reliance on forest resources, lowering the likelihood of dangerous encounters with wildlife while strengthening community resilience.  

International Tiger Day also showcases IUCN’s work across Asia, with three IUCN offices hosting or contributing to locally led events highlighting practical coexistence solutions and the experiences of communities living alongside tigers. Bringing together partner organisations implementing ITHCP-supported initiatives, local stakeholders, government representatives, conservation practitioners and community members, these events will create opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships and demonstrate how coexistence is being put into practice across some of Asia’s most important tiger landscapes. 

Healthy tiger landscapes support far more than tiger populations alone. They conserve biodiversity, maintain ecological connectivity, strengthen climate resilience and safeguard freshwater resources for millions of people across Asia. In this context, coexistence approaches contribute directly to wider international commitments, including the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (particularly Target 4 on species recovery and coexistence), the Sustainable Development Goals, and broader climate and restoration agendas.  

None of these achievements would be possible without the leadership of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, conservation practitioners, governments and implementing partners working across Asia’s tiger landscapes. This Global Tiger Day, IUCN celebrates their commitment and the practical solutions that are making coexistence possible every day. 

Across Asia, IUCN and its partners continue to advance coexistence through practical action on the ground, working with local communities to support people living alongside tigers and help ensure that the recovery of this iconic species is matched by safer, more resilient landscapes.

The World Conservation Society (WCS), on its part, says that it is making progress in tiger conservation, but “nothing is guaranteed”.

In Indonesia’s Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park – one of the most important habitats for the Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger – decades of hard work is helping guide the recovery of this iconic species. Monitoring shows the tigers in the core zone are stable, the essential first step towards recovery.

“That progress is only possible through strong partnerships. Together with Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, and the Zoo Miami Foundation, WCS Indonesia is utilizing an extensive network of camera traps across more than 1,100 square miles of rainforest.

“The work is demanding. Teams of park rangers, WCS staff, and community members hike up to two weeks through remote forests to deploy the camera traps to capture images of tigers and their prey, like deer and wild boar. Scientists then pour through thousands of photographs to estimate population densities and even identify individual tigers.

“We’re proud to work alongside the Government of Indonesia and our partners there over the long term to save these big cats. We must stay the course.”

Bangladesh: Protecting the Last Stronghold for Bengal Tigers

The Sundarbans is the last place in Bangladesh where Bengal tigers survive, making the future of the species inseparable from the future of this vast mangrove forest. Since 2014, WCS Bangladesh has worked with the Bangladesh Forest Department and local communities to strengthen tiger conservation through science, training, and community engagement.

A key focus has been reducing poaching of tigers and their prey. Together, WCS and the Forest Department have trained more than 600 frontline forest staff through over 40 workshops on the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART), improving the planning and effectiveness of anti-poaching patrols.

The results are significant. Over the past year, rangers carried out more than 500 strategic patrols (each seven to 13 days long) across the Sundarbans and removed nearly 100,000 snares – eliminating countless threats to tigers and other wildlife before they could cause harm.

Community partnerships are also helping reduce conflict between people and tigers. Since 2021, nine stray tigers have been safely returned to the forest rather than harmed. Most recently, a Bengal tigress rescued after being caught in a poacher’s snare was successfully released back into the eastern Sundarbans, highlighting how collaboration, science, and local stewardship are helping secure a future for Bangladesh’s iconic tigers.

Malaysia: Helping Tigers Hold On in Endau Rompin

In the Endau Rompin landscape of southern Peninsular Malaysia, tigers continue to survive despite mounting challenges, including habitat fragmentation, poaching, and the loss of key prey species following outbreaks of African Swine Fever. Protecting this important tiger population requires sustained collaboration among Malaysia’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Johor National Parks Corporation, Pahang State Parks Corporation, Forestry Department of Johor and Pahang, and the Royal Malaysian Police, with support from WCS Malaysia.

That work includes maintaining a constant presence on the ground to deter and detect poaching. Through Malaysia’s Biodiversity Protection and Patrol initiative, government agencies and WCS Malaysia are strengthening patrols across Endau Rompin to safeguard one of the country’s remaining tiger strongholds.

The need for continued vigilance remains clear. Less than a year ago, authorities arrested three men in possession of a tiger carcass in Johor. The tiger was later identified as an individual previously photographed by WCS Malaysia’s camera traps in Endau Rompin – a stark reminder that every tiger matters.

Protecting Malaysia’s tigers will require more than enforcement alone. Restoring prey populations, improving habitat, and continually evaluating conservation efforts will all be critical to ensuring tigers can recover. With science, strong partnerships, and sustained commitment, there is hope for one of Malaysia’s most iconic species.