“Tiger By The Tail”: On Latest NTCA Data on Tiger Deaths

2025 has ended with a sobering reminder that success can change form without warning. For years, India’s tiger story was celebrated as a conservation triumph. The population doubling over a decade, from less than 3,000 in 2018 to over 3,600 by the 2022 census, making up nearly 75% of the world’s wild tigers. But the latest numbers show that the narrative may be shifting again.

Latest Data Released by National Tiger Conservation Authority

According to the newest data compiled by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, India recorded 166 tiger deaths in 2025, roughly 40 more than the 126 deaths in 2024. This is the highest tally in recent years, and it cannot be dismissed as a minor fluctuation. The state of Madhya Pradesh alone accounted for 55 deaths, nearly a third of the total, underscoring how concentrated pressures on habitat and territorial space have become.

Not Just Tigers; Their Den Must Be Protected

Why does this matter? A rising death count in the face of a historically growing population tells two stories at once. On one hand, tigers are thriving in protected reserves thanks to sustained efforts over decades. On the other, they are now running out of room. Fragmented forests, shrinking corridors, and increasing human-wildlife interfaces are real. These big cats, once expanding into new regions like Purulia in West Bengal, are now bumping against the limits of their habitats.

Data shows that causes range from natural reasons and conflict to electrocutions, road accidents, and poaching. The increase is a call to acknowledge that conservation is never static. Growth in numbers is necessary but not sufficient if space, prey, and safety are missing pieces. 2025 teaches us that saving tigers is not just about counting them, it’s about continuously supporting the ecosystems they depend on. If that lesson stays with us into 2026, we may yet see the big cat not just survive, but live well.