India is working to advance its plan to reintroduce tigers into Cambodia, with the target now being moved toward 2028 as authorities assess whether sufficient prey and habitat are available for the animals

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The initiative is part of India’s international cooperation on tiger conservation and is being developed in coordination with Cambodian authorities. However, conservation planners are examining prey availability before releasing tigers, as an adequate natural food base is essential for establishing a sustainable population.

Cambodia has suitable forest landscapes that could potentially support tiger recovery, but decades of habitat loss, hunting and depletion of wild prey have affected the country’s tiger population.

India has one of the world’s largest wild tiger populations and has developed extensive expertise in tiger monitoring, habitat management and anti-poaching measures. The proposed transfer would therefore involve not only moving animals but also strengthening the ecological conditions required for their long-term survival.

The revised 2028 target gives conservation authorities additional time to evaluate prey populations and prepare suitable sites before any release takes place.

If successfully implemented, the programme could become an important example of international cooperation in restoring a species that has disappeared from parts of its historical range.