After almost 20 years, the Royal Bengal Tiger has been captured on camera inside the D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary (DEMWS) in Arunachal Pradesh, close to Pasighat.
With technical assistance from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), camera trap surveys were carried out in the sanctuary to record the sighting.
Officials claim that the last documented proof of a tiger in DEMWS dates back to 2005, and until about 2007–2008, there were only unconfirmed reports of sightings.
In 2014, the World Wide Fund for Nature released a baseline survey that revealed no pugmarks or camera trap evidence of tigers and said that poachers' widespread hunting was probably the cause of their extinction.

But there were already indications of increased tiger activity in the surrounding area. In Kobu Chapori, a projected reserve forest close to the sanctuary along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, foresters of the Jonai forest range in Assam reported seeing pugmarks of an adult Royal Bengal Tiger in January 2026.
The development is noteworthy, according to Divisional Forest Officer Kempi Ete. "The return of the tiger after nearly two decades reflects the resilience of the ecosystem and the impact of sustained conservation efforts on the ground," she stated, giving appreciation to local community organisations, Eco-Development Committees, and frontline forest workers for their contributions to the area's protection.

The rare endangered Hispid Hare and the critically endangered Chinese Pangolin were also noted in the current survey, underscoring the biological significance of the sanctuary's riparian grassland environment, which is unique among Arunachal Pradesh's protected regions.
In the past year, officials claimed to have seen oblique indications of potential tiger movement. After persistent efforts, the tiger was eventually caught on video, despite earlier monitoring failing to produce photographic evidence.
"It is good news for us," an environmentalist said, applauding the development. Tourists will be drawn to the wildlife refuge when the Royal Bengal Tiger returns. We are overjoyed.In the East Siang district, the D Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary is roughly 13 km from Pasighat. It was created in 1978 and covers an area of 190 square kilometres. The Siang and Sibya rivers encircle it. For tigers, leopards, wild buffaloes, and migrating birds, it is a vital habitat.