ORIGINAL PAPER A framework for assessing readiness for tiger Panthera tigris reintroduction: a case study from eastern Cambodia T. N. E. Gray 1,2,12 • R. Crouthers 2 • K. Ramesh 3 • J. Vattakaven 4 • J. Borah 1 • M. K. S. Pasha 5 • T. Lim 6 • C. Phan 2,7 • R. Singh 2,8 • B. Long 9,13 • S. Chapman 10 • O. Keo 11 • M. Baltzer 5 Received: 16 June 2016 / Revised: 19 April 2017 / Accepted: 5 May 2017 Ó Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2017 Abstract Reintroduction is a viable conservation strategy for large carnivores however such reintroductions require robust feasibility assessments, considering ecological, man- agement, and social factors, prior to implementation. Plans are being developed in a number of tiger range countries, including Cambodia, for tiger Panthera tigris reintro- ductions in response to local and national extinctions. We provide a framework for undertaking feasibility assessments for tiger, and other large carnivore, reintroductions and present a number of methodological tools, and appropriate indicators, for conducting such Communicated by Xiaoli Shen. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10531-017-1365-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. & T. N. E. Gray tomnegray@hotmail.com 1 WWF Greater Mekong, No. 21, St 322, Bouen Keng Kang I, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 2 WWF Cambodia, No. 21, St 322, Bouen Keng Kang I, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 3 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India 4 WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, 172B, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, India 5 WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, 354 Tanglin Road, Tanglin Block, Tanglin International Centre, Singapore, Singapore 6 Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Russian Federation Blvd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia 7 Department for Terrestrial Protected Area Conservation, Ministry of the Environment, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 8 WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, No. 21, St 322, Bouen Keng Kang I, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 9 WWF US, 1250 24th Street, N.W., Washington, DC, USA 10 WWF Greater Mekong, House No. 39, Unit 5, Saylom Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic 123 Biodivers Conserv DOI 10.1007/s10531-017-1365-1