Nepal's Tiger Population Roars Back, Growing 21 Percent in Four Years

Nepal is bucking the global trend of declining tiger populations, with its wild tiger numbers surging by 21 percent in just four years to reach 429 individuals. This remarkable increase, announced on World Tiger Day, highlights successful conservation efforts in the Himalayan nation.

The latest national census reveals a jump of 74 tigers since the previous count in 2022, which recorded 355. This latest figure builds on a consistent upward trajectory since scientific national counts began in 2009, when Nepal's tiger population was a mere 121. Over 17 years, the numbers have more than tripled.

Chitwan National Park remains the largest sanctuary, now home to an estimated 145 tigers, an increase of 17 from 2022. Bardiya National Park follows with 112 tigers. Significant growth was observed in Parsa, which saw its population jump from 41 to 71, and Banke, which more than doubled its count from 25 to 51.

However, this success story is not uniform across the country. Bardiya National Park is the sole area experiencing a decline, with its tiger population shrinking from 125 in 2022 to 112 in the latest census. The data was compiled by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation with support from various government bodies and conservation partners.