Tiger populations in India witnessed a dramatic decline over the twentieth century. Identify TWO specific threats responsible for this decline and explain how each threat directly endangered the tiger's survival.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:29 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Two major threats to tiger population in India:
- Poaching for trade: Tigers were hunted illegally for their skins and bones. Tiger skins were traded internationally, while bones were used in traditional medicines in Asian countries. This relentless poaching pushed the tiger population to the verge of extinction.
- Shrinking habitat: Growing human population led to encroachment and destruction of tiger habitats. As forests shrank, tigers lost their territory and prey base, making survival increasingly difficult.
These threats reduced tiger numbers from an estimated 55,000 (early 1900s) to just 1,827 by 1973.
Source: Project Tiger, Chapter 2
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Explanation
- This is a 3-mark question, so two threats with clear explanation of how each endangered the tiger is sufficient.
- Examiners expect: identification of threat (1 mark each) + brief explanation of impact. The statistic (55,000 → 1,827) adds credibility and is directly from the text.
- Do not simply list threats — explain the direct danger each posed, as the question demands.