Gland, Switzerland (BBN)-The number of tigers in the wild has risen the first time in 100 years, marking a major turning point in the big cat's plight against poaching and habitat loss.
Figures collated from national surveys conducted in tiger range states and from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), estimate the number of tigers living in the wild to be at 3,890, reports the ABC News.
That is up almost 700 animals from the 2010 figure, which estimated the population at 3,200.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia's national manager for species, Darren Grover, welcomed the news, saying it was the first increase since the turn of the twentieth century.
"That's great news. It's the first positive trend for wild tiger populations in more than 100 years," he said.
In 1900, approximately 100,000 tigers were estimated to be living in the wild.
"In those 100 years or so we've lost around 97 per cent of wild tigers," Grover said.
A WWF background document said the increase was likely the result of major changes made in India, Russia, Nepal and Bhutan, including improved survey techniques and ramped up conservation efforts.
"That comprehensive surveying is giving us scientifically robust number on how many tigers remain," Grover said.
"There has also been some fantastic management outcomes and Nepal is a great example of that.
"I think they're up to about 3 years now of no poaching of tigers. That's a great achievement and shows the level of commitment from the Nepalese Government and the Nepalese people to protect their tiger population."
An infographic showing the number of wild tigers living in 13 different countries across Asia.
But despite the increase, Mr Grover said there was still a long way to go before tiger range states reached their goal of doubling the number of tigers in the wild by 2022.
CURRENT TIGER ESTIMATES ACROSS ASIA:
Bangladesh: 106
Bhutan: 103
Cambodia: 0
China: >7
India: 2,226
Indonesia: 371
Lao: 2
Malaysia: 250
Myanmar: No current data available
Nepal: 198
Russia: 433
Thailand: 189
Vietnam: <5
Total: 3,890
Source: WWF collation of national surveys, IUCN 2015 data
In 2011, about 14 countries from across the tiger range, which extends from India across South-East Asia and to far east Russia, got together in St Petersburg in Russia and agreed to the Tx2 target.
"They took 3,200 as the number at that time, so that would mean they are aiming for a wild tiger population of around 6,400 by 2022," Grover said."We're on the way towards that target. We're obviously making progress, but there is still quite some way to go."
Mr Grover said some countries, such as Malaysia, China and Thailand, were holding back efforts by failing to conduct habitat surveys.
"There is some information available on how many tigers remain in those countries, but until we do those accurate surveys, we won't know for sure," he said.
"The good thing is, most of those countries have committed to doing those surveys over the next year or so, so that will enlighten us to a more accurate figure and hopefully show that that overall number is increasing further."
He said in the meantime, tourists needed to be aware of the overseas practices threatening tiger populations.
"While loss of habitat has been a major reason for the decline in tiger numbers, the illegal poaching of tiger and the use of tiger products in traditional medicines is also a major factor behind the decline in tiger populations," he said.
"We really urge people who are going to these countries, if you're in markets and you are seeing what are claimed to be tiger products, don't purchase them.
"As we like to say, there's only one place where those tiger products should be, and that's in a tiger."
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