A new report from IUCN’s Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) highlights a decade of transformative efforts to protect one of the world’s most iconic species.

Today at the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia, IUCN’s Tiger Programme has launched its brand-new report, “10 Years of Tiger Conservation Action”.

This comprehensive report celebrates a decade of success in protecting and restoring tiger habitats across Asia thanks to our implementing partners and funding from the German Cooperation via KfW Development Bank. It not only provides a detailed overview of key milestones in tiger conservation, but also emphasises the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in fostering sustainable stewardship of wildlife and their habitats.

According to the report:

• A total of €47.5 million have been invested in tiger conservation
• The ITHCP contributed to the estimated increase of 40% in tiger numbers globally between 2015 and 2022
• More than 10,500 hectares of habitat have been restored, with over 500,000 trees planted
• More than 95,000 people benefitted from development of sustainable livelihoods, 54% of which were women
• More than 10,000 people have been trained to strengthen law enforcement and improve the management of tiger habitats

Through its projects, the ITHCP contributes to the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). This includes reducing threats to biodiversity, meeting people’s needs through sustainable use, and implementing as well as mainstreaming key tools and solutions.

Furthermore, by safeguarding tiger populations in certain areas, ITHCP projects are directly enhancing climate resilience in Asian territories through innovative conservation approaches.

So far, the ITHCP has awarded a total of 32 grants and supported 16 different grantees throughout the implementation of the programme.

The “10 Years of Tiger Conservation Action” report is accompanied by an op-ed from ITHCP Coordinator Phurba Lhendup, calling for collective action to secure a brighter future for this iconic big cat.

The Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP) or ‘Tiger Programme‘ is an initiative funded by the German Cooperation via KfW Development Bank, which contributes to the Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP) and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by supporting landscape level conservation work benefiting species, communities and habitats. Coordinated actions enhancing conservation skills, developing new livelihoods and improving governance and infrastructure are delivering results in terms of better protected tigers across these landscapes.