The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) faces pressures from habitat fragmentation, prey depletion, and human-wildlife conflict. Wild tigers' welfare is inseparable from their conservation.
Wild Bengal tigers face chronic welfare challenges related to habitat compression. Reduced home ranges force tigers into areas with higher human contact, increasing conflict risk. Prey depletion from poaching and bushmeat hunting causes chronic hunger in some populations. Tigers injured in snares set for deer and wild pigs suffer painful, debilitating wounds. Human-wildlife conflict leads to retaliatory killings. In contrast, well-protected reserves with abundant prey support tigers with high welfare — long-lived individuals with stable territories and successful cub rearing. Corridor connectivity between reserves is essential for genetic exchange, reducing the welfare and demographic consequences of isolation.