Estimation of Tiger Densities Using Photographic Capture-Recapture

This methodological landmark established how camera traps combined with capture-recapture statistics could yield rigorous, repeatable estimates of tiger density. Because individual tigers carry unique stripe patterns, photographs let researchers identify animals and model detection probability, correcting for the fact that not every tiger is photographed. The approach replaced unreliable pugmark counts with a defensible statistical framework, transforming how big cat populations are surveyed worldwide. The authors demonstrated the method in Indian reserves, producing density figures with quantified uncertainty. This work matters because credible population numbers underpin every conservation decision, from assessing reserve performance to detecting poaching-driven declines. Camera-trap capture-recapture has since become the standard for monitoring tigers, leopards, jaguars, and other individually identifiable cats, making this study one of the most consequential in applied carnivore science.