Research overview: how many tiger subspecies should be recognized

Tiger taxonomy has long been contested, with traditional schemes recognizing up to nine subspecies, several now extinct, while some genetic analyses and the Cat Classification Task Force proposed collapsing them into just two groups, mainland and Sunda. This overview surveys the competing evidence from morphology, mitochondrial and nuclear markers, and whole genomes, and the practical stakes for conservation breeding, reintroduction, and trade enforcement. It discusses why the answer matters: lumping risks mixing locally adapted populations, while splitting risks stranding tiny populations without rescue options. The debate exemplifies how genetic data and management goals jointly shape subspecies definitions.