50
50 tigers now roam Sariska Tiger Reserve — a number that seemed impossible two decades ago when the reserve had been wiped clean by poaching. The latest addition came as tigress ST-2302 was photographed near Karni Mata Temple with two cubs, raising the population to the symbolic half-century.
Politicians rushed to celebrate the “success,” while forest officers increased patrols around the temple area to secure the cubs. Staff hailed as “Green Soldiers” were praised for dedication and round-the-clock surveillance. The recovery is indeed remarkable, proving that relentless monitoring and strict protection can bring tigers back from the brink.
But this milestone is also the memory of deliberate negligence that allowed Sariska to lose all its tigers in the first place. Poachers were not invisible — they were ignored until nothing was left. If India wants to keep 50 alive, tiger poaching must be confronted permanently.
50 is not the end goal. It is a fragile threshold that demands constant protection, accountability, and political will.
