Conservation and Biodiversity
How Cats Control the Climate: Why We Need to Protect Tigers
July 29, 2025
Today, July 29th, is International Tiger Day: a time to appreciate the impact of these magnificent creatures on the health of important ecosystems and their role in reducing carbon emissions.
Conservation efforts have recently helped bolster tiger populations. This is in large part thanks to the amazing conservation work going on in places like India, where tiger numbers doubled from around 1,700 in 2010 to over 3,600 in 2022. The global wild tiger population has increased by about 40% since 2015, reaching up to an estimated 5,578 tigers. But we must remain vigilant — this apex species is still struggling.
Tigers live across parts of China, Russia, southeast Asia, and especially India. Since their natural range is so large, they are used to surviving in a variety of habitats, but most thrive in grasslands and forests, where they are central to ensuring balance of wildlife.
There are six subspecies of tigers: the Siberian, South China, Sumatran, Indochinese, Malayan, and Bengal tigers. Bengal tigers are the most common subspecies. Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers are extinct.
A Keystone Species
Tigers are an example of a keystone species — species that have a large impact on their environments. This means that changes in tiger population, particularly their removal, can hugely upset the balance of their ecosystems.
As apex predators, tigers keep prey populations in check by eating large herbivores such as deer and pigs. They hunt at night, blending into their environment with their unique stripes before pouncing to ambush their prey and targeting the neck to ensure a quick kill. They usually survive on just one meal a week. Their hunting prevents overgrazing, allowing plants to flourish and helping to maintain the balance of the forests they call home.
Beyond their role as a keystone species, tigers have far-reaching impacts that extend well beyond their immediate habitats. A recent study, focusing on deforestation in regions of India with active tiger conservation programs, revealed a powerful connection: protecting tigers directly correlates with significantly reduced rates of deforestation.
Since forests act as critical carbon sinks, absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the preservation of tiger habitats supports global efforts to combat climate change. So by safeguarding tigers, we are not only ensuring the survival of an iconic and important species but also protecting vital ecosystems that regulate the Earth’s climate. We are preserving biodiversity, water cycles, and air quality on a global scale.
Looming Threats
Given tigers’ importance to their ecosystems and to the global climate, it is worrying to see them still on the list of endangered species. They face threats from many directions.
One major concern is poaching. In many regions where tigers live — particularly China — their skins, bones, and even blood are coveted for medicinal use. Hunting tigers to obtain these parts is therefore a major issue for conservation. It is worth noting that there are no magical or unique chemicals in tiger parts; medicine such as aspirin has similar active ingredients and effects while keeping tigers and our environment safe.
Another major issue impacting tiger numbers is habitat fragmentation, which occurs when human activity, such as farming or road building, divides a natural ecosystem and makes it harder for animals to navigate safely. Roads and farms create borders which prevent many species from thriving, but they are particularly devastating to those that like to roam, like tigers. Tigers’ territories can be up to hundreds of square kilometers in area, marked by scent and scratching posts.
Fragmentation increases the incidence of interaction between tigers and humans, which can be dangerous for both species. Tiger attacks are rare, but occur most often when tigers are forced out of their natural habitats due to human encroachment.
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are tough on many species, but they hit tigers even harder. Around 95% of tigers’ natural habitats have been destroyed by logging, agriculture, or industry, and what little is left is split into increasingly small areas, making tigers more vulnerable to all threats. We need to all keep the pressure on our governments to do more to protect forests and vital keystone species habitats.
A Resurgence?
When countries act to protect tigers, they meet success. Bengal tigers in particular have benefitted from conservation efforts in Nepal, Bhutan, and India.
Nepal has created wildlife corridors to combat fragmentation. These corridors are patchwork paths of grassland and forest reclaimed from human activities. They allow tigers to move between more protected areas while minimizing human contact. Other endangered species like rhinos benefit from the corridors as well.
Bhutan, too, has made huge progress. Their government has set goals for 30% of their land and water to be protected areas for tigers and other wildlife, not to mention restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems. In conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Vanishing Treasures initiative, they have set up trail cameras to understand tiger behavior and find how best to protect them. To understand tigers’ genetic diversity, they’ve even used scat sampling — analyzing big cat poop!
75% of the world’s tigers live in India, so conservation there is vital to the survival of the species. While the Indian tiger population has more than doubled from 2010 to 2022, only a quarter of present-day tiger habitats are protected in the country, meaning that there is much more work to do.
EARTHDAY.ORG is a leader in rebuilding fractured tiger habitats. The Canopy Project is planting mangroves to bolster local ecosystems in Bangladesh, which will greatly benefit Bengal tigers. Every tiger counts, so donate to The Canopy Project to allow us to keep fighting for them.
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