WikimediaThere could finally be some good news for an endangered species as experts say tigers could be on the brink of a population explosion.
Scientists predict the global tiger population could almost treble in the next 20 years if their habitats are restored, reports the Daily Mail.
Over the past century, tiger numbers have declined by a devastating 97 per cent due to logging, agriculture and deforestation – among other things.
FlickrAccording to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) there are only around 3,200 wild tigers still live in Asia
However, a satellite study by the University of Minnesota found that enough habitat remains to allow tiger numbers to double by 2022.
WikimediaBut numbers could treble if ‘wildlife corridors’ are restored in deforested landscapes said the researchers led by Dr Anup Joshi from the University of Minnesota.
These ‘corridors’ are regions of preserved habitat that connect different areas, allowing animals to extend their territories and avoid interbreeding.
Writing in the journal Science Advances, Dr Joshi’s team concluded:
Our analysis indicates that enough wild habitat remains to allow a range-wide doubling of the wild tiger population.
The global population could approach a trebling in the next two decades.
Let’s hope so!
