KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 16
Nepal has officially launched its nationwide tiger census, conducted once every four years, with an inaugural programme held today in Sauraha, Chitwan.
The census is led by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) under the Ministry of Forests and Environment, in coordination with the Department of Forests and Land Conservation. Technical and logistical support is being provided by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), WWF Nepal, and the Geological Society of Nepal.
DNPWC Director General Buddi Sagar Paudel said 1,100 advanced camera traps are being installed across tiger habitats, and the population will be estimated through photographic analysis. The census involves 25 technical personnel and is expected to be completed within two and a half to three months, with the support of the Nepali Army, Buffer Zone, and Community Forest Users' Committees. The operation has an estimated budget of around Rs 30 million, covering equipment, memory cards, tents, and other logistics.
Nepal has been systematically counting its tiger population using automated camera traps since 2009. Historical data shows a steady increase: 98 tigers in 1995, 109 in 2000, 126 in 2005, 121 in 2009, 198 in 2013, 235 in 2018, and 355 in 2025. The 2026 census marks the next cycle of this four-year initiative.
DG Paudel emphasized reducing human-tiger conflict by providing alternative livelihoods to communities near forests and promoting positive attitudes toward wildlife.
The increasing tiger population has led to a rise in human-tiger conflicts. Currently, 18 "problematic" tigers-those entering settlements, injuring humans or livestock, or found injured-are kept in enclosures across the country: five at the Central Zoo, Lalitpur; seven in Chitwan National Park; four in Bardia National Park; and one each in Banke and Parsa National Parks. The government spends substantially on their daily care, feeding, and medical needs.
Globally, the tiger population has risen to 5,357 in 2025, with India hosting the highest number at 3,167, followed by Russia (750), Indonesia (400), Nepal (355), Thailand (189), Bhutan (151), Malaysia (150), Bangladesh (146), Myanmar (22), China (20), Vietnam (5), and Laos (2).
(With inputs from RSS)
