"Rising tiger numbers are a conservation success but a governance challenge." Examine this with reference to human–tiger conflict in the Western Ghats–Nilgiri landscape.

India's estimated tiger count rose to 3,682 in 2022 from 2,967 in 2018. Karnataka had 563, second only to Madhya Pradesh [1]. In September 2026 a 65-year-old man was killed at Sanegala village in Karnataka's BRT Tiger Reserve, and the tiger suspected of the attack was later captured [2]. Such cases show that a higher tiger count is only half the story. The harder task is managing the tigers that the forests can no longer hold.

Conservation success

• Population recovery: sustained Project Tiger/NTCA protection and scientific monitoring. The 2022 estimation surveyed over 6.41 lakh km on foot [1].
• Landscape strength: Bandipur, Nagarahole, BRT and Mudumalai form one connected Nilgiri tiger landscape, a key source population for southern India.

Why success turns into a governance challenge

• Saturation and dispersal: young tigers pushed out of full reserves move into farm fringes. The BRT tiger was only five years old [2]. The Centre itself advises limiting habitat work in reserves at carrying capacity to prevent spill-over [3].
• Uneven distribution: the Western Ghats saw localised declines even as some pockets became saturated [1]. Aggregate numbers hide this imbalance.
• Crisis response: the NTCA straying-tiger SOP requires a committee of NTCA and Chief Wildlife Warden nominees, a veterinarian, a local NGO and the panchayat [4]. Under public pressure, operations are often rushed.
• Captivity burden: captured tigers are shifted to rescue centres such as Koorgalli [2]. This creates lifelong costs, and no long-term plan covers them.
• Social equity: victims are usually poor farmers and forest dwellers. Delayed relief and weak Forest Rights Act, 2006 implementation erode local support for conservation.

Way forward

• Use NTCA's SOP on active management: shift tigers from saturated source areas to low-density reserves, with scientific vetting [3].
• Secure corridors through landscape-level Tiger Conservation Plans [3].
• Follow the MoEFCC 2021 advisory: map conflict hotspots, set up rapid response teams and pay ex-gratia quickly [5].
• Build early-warning systems (camera alerts), community response teams and livestock compensation.

The Nilgiri experience shows that tiger recovery succeeds only when it is matched by the capacity to manage tigers at the landscape level. Carrying-capacity planning, corridor security and people-centred relief can make this success lasting. That fits the constitutional duty in Article 51A(g) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). The measure of success should shift from how many tigers India has to how well people and tigers can live together.