A Bengal Tiger pauses briefly on a dirt road in Pench National Park in India. This tiger on the road, one of many within the park, represents the collision of modern life and pristine nature. Thankfully the combination of these two worlds seems to be working out, since India’s tiger population is reported to have increased dramatically from 1,411 tigers in 2006 to 2,967 in 2019. But many scientists aren’t so sure. There’s a fabulous article in the journal Nature that exposes the discrepancies in the India Government’s reports. I have to admit it seems very counterintuitive to think these massive predators can coexist amongst so many people who live just outside park boundaries. Either way it’s great to see India working to protect this special creature. Time will tell how this all plays out.