Wild tigers survive in fragmented habitats where human conflict threatens both their welfare and conservation.
Wild tiger welfare is inextricably linked to the human communities sharing their shrinking habitat. Tigers whose territory overlaps with livestock farms face an impossible situation — natural prey depletion drives them to livestock predation, which drives lethal retaliation. Individual tiger welfare in these conflict zones involves the acute stress of human proximity, potential injury from trap lines and snares, and the threat of poisoning. Conservation programs that compensate farmers for livestock losses and provide alternative prey restore conditions where tigers can live with lower chronic stress.