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Conservation: Why India could be sending tigers to Cambodia
Image source, Getty Images
Tigers are one of the world's most famous big cats, and Cambodia could soon be getting some - thanks to India.
It's all part of efforts to bring the big cat back to the Southeast Asian country where the species has become extinct.
The news follows the success of a special conservation project which recently saw cheetahs moved from Namibia to India, 70 years after the cats became extinct in the African country.
India is currently thought to be home to more than 70% of the world's tiger population, but their numbers in the country haven't always been this high.
Image source, Getty Images
A project to boost the animals' numbers was introduced back in 1973.
Known as Project Tiger, the Indian government launched the conservation campaign after the animal's numbers became worryingly low.
This included strengthening laws in the nation to make it virtually illegal to kill or capture wild animals.
50 years on, and there are now more than 3,100 tigers in India.
This is thought to be 200 more than the country had had just four years ago, according to the results of the latest tiger count.
Image source, Getty Images
With Project Tiger leading to a significant increase in big cats numbers in India, a similar approach could be adopted in Cambodia where tigers were declared functionally extinct in 2016.
This term is used when the numbers of a particular species are so low they no longer play the role they once did in their environment or ecosystem.
Tiger numbers in Cambodia took a huge hit because of poaching, which is the illegal hunting of animals, and the destruction of their natural habitat.
The last time a tiger was captured on camera in the country was all the way back in 2007.
And they could be getting a helping hand from some new arrivals from India.
Cambodia is said to be putting measures in place to accommodate tigers from India.
The government has identified forest land at the country's Tatai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Southern Cardamom Rainforest where the cats can be released once they're brought over.
It's not yet known when or how many tigers will be moved from Cambodia to India, but there are reports which say Cambodia is hoping to welcome the big cats before the end of the year.