OPPORTUNITIES FOR TIGER RECOVERY ACROSS THEIR HISTORIC RANGE

The report identifies 1.7 million km² of potentially suitable tiger habitat across 15 countries, representing a >250% increase over the current range. It argues that range recovery is feasible through natural dispersal—as 50% of these areas are within 100km of existing populations—and planned reintroductions, provided there is strong political will, community support, and prey restoration.

• The analysis identified 1,701,991.52 km² of potentially suitable tiger range recovery areas across 15 countries, which would increase the current tiger range by more than 250%.
• China, India, and Russia possess the largest extents of potential recovery areas, collectively accounting for nearly 60% of the total identified areas.
• Natural dispersal is a viable mechanism for range expansion because approximately 50% of the identified recovery areas are located within 100km of current tiger populations.
• A significant majority of potential recovery areas lack formal protection, with nearly 80% falling outside of protected areas; this is particularly acute in Russia (98%), China (84%), and India (69%).
• The report identifies specific landscapes for active reintroduction, including the Ili-Balkhash landscape in Kazakhstan (with releases planned for 2025) and the Cardamom and Eastern Plains Landscapes in Cambodia.
• Successful range recovery depends on several critical enabling conditions: sufficient prey populations, effective site management to mitigate threats, and the voluntary participation and support of local and Indigenous communities.

APA

Gray, T., Chapman, S., & Hehmeyer, A. (2022). OPPORTUNITIES FOR TIGER RECOVERY ACROSS THEIR HISTORIC RANGE. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1064/2mg0joiser_2022_restoring_asia_s_roar_web.pdf

Chicago

Gray, Thomas, Stuart Chapman, and Abby Hehmeyer. OPPORTUNITIES FOR TIGER RECOVERY ACROSS THEIR HISTORIC RANGE. WWF International, 2022. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1064/2mg0joiser_2022_restoring_asia_s_roar_web.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gray |first1=Thomas |last2=Chapman |first2=Stuart |last3=Hehmeyer |first3=Abby |title=OPPORTUNITIES FOR TIGER RECOVERY ACROSS THEIR HISTORIC RANGE |publisher=WWF International |date=2022 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1064/2mg0joiser_2022_restoring_asia_s_roar_web.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gray2022opportunities, author = {Gray, Thomas and Chapman, Stuart and Hehmeyer, Abby}, title = {{OPPORTUNITIES FOR TIGER RECOVERY ACROSS THEIR HISTORIC RANGE}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1064/2mg0joiser_2022_restoring_asia_s_roar_web.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }