Dhaka, Nov. 27 -- Authorities around the world have confiscated an average of nine tigers every month over the past five years, underscoring a rapidly worsening trafficking crisis that threatens one of the planet's most iconic animals, according to new research released Tuesday.

A report by the wildlife trade watchdog TRAFFIC says criminal networks involved in the tiger trade are evolving faster than global conservation efforts. The global wild tiger population, once about 100,000 a century ago, has now fallen to an estimated 3,700-5,500.

Despite decades of international protection, TRAFFIC found that tiger trafficking is accelerating and is increasingly focused on whole animals, alive or dead. Experts believe the trend may be tied to c...