Research overview: genetic capture-recapture for estimating tiger populations

Accurate tiger numbers are central to conservation, and genetic capture-recapture using noninvasive samples complements camera trapping to estimate abundance and density. This overview surveys how DNA from scat and hair identifies individual tigers, enabling population estimates, assessment of connectivity between reserves, and detection of poaching impacts. It discusses the statistical frameworks for handling genotyping error, the combination of genetic and photographic methods, and how these tools track tiger recovery or decline at landscape scales across India, Russia, and Southeast Asia. The survey illustrates how molecular monitoring turns elusive individual cats into countable, trackable units for management.