India's tiger conservation strategy combines two approaches: some areas are strictly protected reserves, while others are multi-use landscapes where tigers and people share space. And this isn't just for the benefit of the tigers.
"The advantage of combining these two methods is that reserves act as a source of tigers for surrounding areas. And if coexistence no longer works, the reserves provide a fallback (应变的) option — ensuring that tigers are not at risk of extinction," explains Ninad Mungi, assistant professor at Aarhus University and co-author of the study.
According to researchers, human population density alone is not what determines whether tigers can thrive — it's people's lifestyles, economic conditions, and cultural attitudes that shape their willingness to share space with large predators.
In relatively prosperous regions where ecotourism and government compensation schemes (补偿计划) generate income, tolerance for tigers is much higher. In fact, for some Indian farmers, losing cattle to a tiger does not essentially spell disaster. Farmers who keep their livestock in barns and enclosures are rarely affected by tigers. However, when cattle are released to graze in tiger-inhabited areas, and if a tiger eats it, the farmer receives financial compensation from the government — turning a loss into a gain.
India's model could provide valuable insights far beyond its borders. In Europe, many countries are struggling with wolves attacking livestock, and India's experience may inspire new approaches that protect both wildlife and farmers' livelihoods.
"There are, of course, cultural challenges, but culture can change over time. India's experience proves that large predators can survive in a modern world — if we are willing to think creatively and find a balance between protection and coexistence," says Ninad.
