Wild tiger population in Thailand’s protected reserves reaches 210
The wild tiger population in Thailand’s protected forests has risen to at least 210, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
The adult wild tiger population is currently estimated between 210 and 257, making Thailand the only country in Southeast Asia demonstrating a sustainable upward trend in wild tiger numbers.
The announcement was made on International Tiger Day to highlight the progress achieved since Thailand joined 13 other tiger-range nations in signing the 2010 St. Petersburg Declaration. That agreement set the global ‘TX2’ goal to double wild tiger populations by driving initiatives through national action plans spanning 2010–2022 and 2022–2034.
DNP officials attributed the population recovery primarily to the strict and continuous deployment of the ‘Smart Patrol’system, which has equipped forest rangers with advanced monitoring tools to deter encroachment and combat illegal poaching across protected areas.
Population monitoring, conducted between 2025 and 2026 by the Khao Nang Rum and Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai wildlife research stations, alongside international conservation partners, including WCS, WWF Thailand, Panthera and the Freeland Foundation, used camera traps across 30 protected sites. The survey confirmed tiger presence in 26 protected areas in five major forest complexes.
The Western Forest Complex remains the primary stronghold for the species in Thailand, harbouring a total of 182 tigers. Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary recorded the highest density with 100 tigers, followed by Thung Yai Naresuan East with 25, Thung Yai Naresuan West with 15 and additional catsscattered across the northern and southern stretches of the complex.
Surveys in other regions recorded 12 tigers in the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex, 11 in the Hala-Bala–Bang Lang Forest Complex, three in the Kaeng Krachan–Kui Buri Forest Complex and three in the Chumphon Forest Complex.
The DNP is launching a new strategic plan to restore tiger and prey populations, designating the Phu Khieo–Nam Nao Forest Complex as its key target area.
The initiative will begin by boosting herbivore prey populations, including sambar deer, gaur and wild boar, to establish a stable food supply. Once the prey base is secured, wild tigers will be translocated from high-density habitats, such as the Western Forest Complex and Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai, into the Phu Khieo sanctuary, to establish a self-sustaining new population.