New Delhi, July 29 -- India's tiger conservation story has a new chapter. It is no longer just about saving the big cat from extinction; it is about finding enough room for a population that is, in many places, actually growing. As we mark International Tiger Day on Wednesday, July 29, this is worth pondering over.

In parts of the Maharashtra-Telangana landscape, rising numbers of breeding females and cubs point to a genuinely healthy population. At the Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Telangana, tiger numbers have climbed from 36 to 42 and females now outnumber males. "Interestingly, there are more female than male tigers in the reserve, which is a good sign," Field Director Dr Sunil Hiremath told Telangana Today.

Why females are the rea...