Nepal’s tiger population rises to 429, latest census shows

Nepal's endangered Bengal tiger population has grown to 429, as revealed in the latest national census released on Wednesday, coinciding with Global Tiger Day. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation announced the findings in Kathmandu, with Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Geeta Chaudhary in attendance. Haribhadra Acharya, an information officer at the department, noted that tiger numbers increased across most national parks, with the exception of Bardiya.

Parsa National Park recorded the most significant growth, with its tiger population rising to 71 from 41 in the 2022 census. Banke National Park also saw an increase, from 25 to 51 tigers, and Shuklaphanta National Park's population grew from 36 to 50. However, Bardiya National Park experienced a decrease, with tiger numbers falling to 112 from 125 in the previous count.

The census utilized camera traps deployed between December 31 and April 23. Chitwan National Park and its surrounding areas are home to 145 tigers, an increase from the 128 recorded in the prior survey. Chitwan's tiger population has shown considerable fluctuation over the past two decades, peaking at 120 in 2013 before dropping to 93 in 2018. Following Chitwan, Bardiya remains the park with the second-highest tiger population in Nepal, despite its recent decline. The latest national figure of 429 represents a substantial increase of 74 tigers compared to the 2022 count of 355.