SYLLABUS

GS-3: Environment Conservation.

Context: Recently, the IUCN’s first Green Status of Species assessment for the tiger (Panthera tigris) revealed that the species is ‘critically depleted’ across Asia but can recover through sustained conservation.

More on the News

• This assessment complements the IUCN Red List by evaluating not only extinction risk but also recovery potential and the effectiveness of conservation measures.

• The report was conducted by experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in collaboration with WWF, Panthera, and the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Cat Specialist Group.

• The assessment found that tigers have become regionally extinct in nine of the 24 spatial units studied, and are threatened or critically endangered in all remaining units.

• It stated that without past conservation actions, tigers would have been critically endangered in nearly all regions, with a species recovery score as low as 5 percent.

• The study identifies key landscapes for future population growth, including protected zones in India, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, China, and Russia.

Key Highlights of the Assessment

• The tiger has been classified as “Critically Depleted” under the IUCN Green Status framework.

• The assessment measures species recovery and conservation impact, not just extinction risk.

• Tigers are now extinct in nine regions and threatened in all remaining habitats.

• Conservation efforts have prevented extinction in at least seven regions, stabilising population trends.

• The Conservation Legacy of the tiger is rated High, showing that sustained protection has significantly slowed declines.

• The Recovery Potential of the species is rated Medium, indicating that intensified protection could enable substantial recovery.

• The assessment highlights that tiger populations have increased for the first time in more than a century, signalling cautious optimism for recovery.

• The report emphasizes the importance of community engagement, habitat connectivity, and political will for long-term success.

Species Recovery Categories 

• The Species Recovery Score (SRS) can be reported either numerically (from 0% for extinct to 100% for Fully Recovered), or categorically.

• Species Recovery Categories are based on the best-estimate, minimum, and maximum values of the SRS (SRS_best, SRS_min, SRS_max, respectively) and the best-estimate value of Conservation Legacy (L_best), and are assigned according to the following rules

About the Tiger (Panthera tigris)

• The tiger is the largest wild cat species in the world and serves as an apex predator, maintaining balance in forest ecosystems.

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies tigers as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

• Tigers are included on Appendix I of the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), prohibiting their international commercial trade. 

• India holds over 70 percent of the global tiger population, making it a critical stronghold for the species’ survival.

• Major threats to tigers include habitat destruction, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, prey depletion, and climate change.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. The IUCN’s first Green Status of Species assessment for the tiger highlights both the fragility and resilience of the species. Discuss how this new framework enhances our understanding of conservation success beyond extinction risk and examine the implications of its findings for tiger conservation in Asia.

Source:
DowntoEarth
The Tanzania Times
AL Dia News