Then & Now India's Tiger Population Rebounds

India's wild tiger population has grown by over 30 percent in the past four years thanks to conservation efforts. The latest census, titled All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018, found that there are now 2,967 tigers in the wild, up from 2,226 four years ago. Back in 2006, the population fell to an all-time low of 1,411 animals, according to AFP.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the numbers as "a historic achievement" and he reaffirmed the country's commitment to protecting the tiger. The surveys are conducted every four years and the latest one spanned 15 months and used 26,000 camera traps that took nearly 350,000 images.

When India became independent from the UK back in 1947, there were an estimated 40,000 tigers living throughout the country. Globally, it is believed that there were 100,000 wild tigers in 1900 and by 2010, the population had declined drastically to just 3,200 animals.