WWF estimates that over 5,000 captive tigers live in captivity in the United States, with a mere 6% of those tigers residing in zoos and other accredited facilities. Some animal-welfare activists estimate there could be 2,000 to 5,000 tigers living in Texas alone, which would make Texas the second-largest population of tigers in the world.
However, the Feline Conservation Organization’s 2016 Wild Feline Census puts those numbers much lower. They estimate that 2,330 tigers live in the United States, with
only 554 of those tigers residing outside of sanctuaries or zoos. They reported that Florida actually had the highest number of tigers residing in the state, with 416 total tigers. They put Texas in second place behind Florida, with 198 tigers.