A regal icon of India’s cultural and natural heritage, the tiger is the largest of 36 wild cat species. But the fierce feline's population dwindled down to just 1,411 in 2006. As per the last tiger consensus, conducted in 2014, there were still less than 4,000 tigers left in the world.
With almost 70% of the world's tiger population in India, the country has dedicated a remarkable 38,000 square kilometres of protected wilderness to safeguard the big cat's population. Here are some of the parks and sanctuaries where you can spot the magnificent cat in its element.
Uttarakhand's Corbett Tiger Reserve, established in 1936 is considered India's first National Park. The Jim Corbett National Park boasts of the largest number of Royal Bengal Tigers in the country, according to a recent report from the Wildlife Institute of India.
Karnataka's Bandipur Tiger Reserve is another park with a sizeable tiger population. Apart from its most famous resident, the park is also a respite for a variety of India’s endangered wildlife like the Indian python and elephants.
In the North-East, Assam's Kaziranga National Park boasts of not just tigers but also the highly endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and sharks, along with a stunning variety of flora and fauna for true nature lovers.
Sanctuaries like these and many more have helped in a 30 per cent increase in India's tiger population and continue to restore the species' once boundless population.