The bar graph illustrates the total number of tigers across all tiger reserves in India and shows the average number of tigers in each reserve from 1972 to 2002.
At a cursory glance, the tiger population experienced several fluctuations between 1972 and 2002 in Indian tiger reserves. Nevertheless, the overall population increased in every recorded year compared to the starting point. The number of tigers grew steadily across five major tiger reserves over the years. Among these reserves, Bandipur consistently recorded a higher number of tigers than the others, while Buxa had the lowest population throughout the period.
In 2002, the total tiger population rose dramatically to 1,576, which was a significant increase compared to 1,498 in 1997. However, in 1995, the population declined slightly to 1,333, in contrast with 1,366 in 1993. From 1972 to 1989, the tiger population increased sharply from 268 to 1,327, which represents a substantial rise.
In 2002, Bandipur Tiger Reserve had approximately 250 tigers, the highest number among all reserves. Corbett and Kanha recorded similar figures, with around 140 and 130 tigers respectively. Sundarbans had only 2 tigers in 1979, but this number increased steadily to 60 by 2002. In contrast, Buxa recorded no tigers in 1979; however, the population rose to 1 shortly afterward and reached 20 by 2002, remaining the lowest among all reserves.