India’s First Nationwide Ungulate Assessment

In June 2025, a first-of-its-kind assessment of ungulates—including deer, pigs, antelopes, and bison—has exposed population declines in several Indian states, posing challenges to tiger conservation and forest health.

Key Points

Critical Tiger Prey Base: Ungulates form the primary prey for India’s tigers, which number over 3,600—70% of the global population. Their decline could impact tiger survival and forest ecosystems.
Report by NTCA & WII: The study, based on the 2022 All-India Tiger Estimation, maps ungulate abundance and density using camera traps, field surveys, and indirect signs.
Decline in East-Central India: Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh show sharp prey base declines due to habitat degradation, mining, hunting, and forest fragmentation.
Species Status:
- Chital (spotted deer): Most abundant and widely distributed.
- Sambar & Wild Pig: Stable in most regions.
- Gaur & Nilgai: Healthy populations in central India and the Western Ghats.
- Barasingha, Hog Deer & Wild Buffalo: Constrained to isolated, fragmented habitats with low genetic diversity.
Protected Areas vs. Others: Tiger reserves and national parks have higher ungulate densities compared to surrounding forest divisions and wildlife sanctuaries
Challenges to Recovery: Livestock competition, poaching, wetland conversion, human-wildlife conflict, and infrastructure development fragment habitats and restrict movement.