Killing Them Softly

Although a recent New York Times piece claimed that wild tigers have made a "remarkable recovery," a quick look at the real numbers gives a more accurate picture of the challenge this magnificent species faces at the brink of extinction.

There were an estimated 100,000 wild tigers in Asia at the turn of the century. Ninety-nine years later, their numbers have declined by 95 percent, and only 5,000 to 7,000 tigers are estimated to survive, approximately 4,000 of them in India. While there were eight subspecies in 1900, there are only five now. Conservationists the world over give the wild tiger anywhere from 10 to 25 years unless sustained emergency action is taken.

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