India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers. A 2014 census estimated a population of 2,226, a 30% increase since 2011. Then, just 5 years later, on International Tiger Day (July 29th), the prime minister of India, Narender Modi, released a report estimating a population of 2,967 tigers in India, a 25% increase since 2014.

The increase is a result of an initiative called 'Project Tiger', started by Indira Gandhi, who established numerous tiger reserves. The project resulted in tripling the number of wild Bengal tigers from 1973 to the 1990s, but a 2007 census showed that numbers had dropped back to about 1,440 because of poaching.

Following the report, the Indian government pledged $153 million to the initiative, set up measures to combat poaching and promised funds to relocate up to 200,000 villagers in order to reduce human-tiger interactions. An additional 8 new tiger reserves were also established.

As of 2015, the global wild tiger population was estimated at between 3,062 and 3,948 mature animals, down from around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century. Major reasons for population decline include habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, and poaching for fur and body parts.

Data gleaned from the Global Tiger Forum (2016) reported an estimated 433 tigers in Russia, 189 in Thailand and 250 in Malaysia.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org