Tigers are among the most iconic endangered species. With fewer than 4,000 individuals remaining in the wild, intensive conservation efforts are the only barrier between tigers and extinction.
Tiger welfare in the wild is threatened primarily by poaching and prey depletion. Snared tigers face prolonged suffering before death or rescue; poisoned tigers suffer acute toxic death. Anti-poaching patrol improvements — using camera traps, ranger training, and community informant networks — directly reduce the number of tigers experiencing these welfare-compromising deaths. Captive tigers in facilities not participating in legitimate conservation programs often live in poor conditions: small cages, inadequate enrichment, and stressful "tiger selfie" tourist interactions. Tiger farms in China breed tigers in intensive conditions, contributing to demand that drives wild poaching. India's Project Tiger has demonstrated that investment in protected area management, anti-poaching, and prey restoration produces measurable tiger population recovery.