Tiger Populations Could Double by 2022

It's a rare bit of hope for an endangered animal: A new study suggests tigers could be making a major comeback in the near future. However, it's a study that experts warn should probably be taken with cautious optimism. Published in the journal, "Science Advances," the researchers used satellite imagery to measure the decline of tiger habitat from 2001-2014 in the 13 Asian countries that wild tigers call home. The findings suggest that while habitat loss was substantial, it was way less than anticipated. And according to the new analysis, led by Anup Joshi at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, there's enough wild habitat left to meet an international goal set in 2012 to double the world's wild tiger population by 2022. But the researchers warn that this goal will only be met if no more habitat through Asia is lost and if corridors connecting tiger populations are protected. Today, only about 3,200 tigers remain in the wild. \ For NewsBeat Social, I'm Molly Riehl.