Key Takeaways:
- Sanctuary planned at Devnagar, buffer zone of Chitwan National Park; capacity up to 20 tigers
- Govt has allocated Rs5 crore this fiscal year to begin construction
- Facility to include enclosures, viewing towers, electric fencing and water ponds, developed in three phases
- Nepal currently has 19 problem tigers in enclosures nationwide; Chitwan houses seven
A 50-hectare tiger sanctuary is being planned in Chitwan to manage problem tigers in a more natural setting and develop a new ecotourism attraction.
The sanctuary will be developed at Devnagar, in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park, where two problem tigers are currently being kept. The facility is expected to accommodate up to 20 tigers, according to officials.
The government has allocated Rs 5 crore in the current fiscal year to begin construction, said Haribhadhra Acharya, spokesperson for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
The sanctuary will include three types of structures, including the existing holding centre. Tigers will be kept in enclosed areas with two layers of barriers to prevent escapes and protect other animals. Visitors will be able to observe the tigers from viewing towers, a "close bridge," or vehicles inside an open enclosure. "Structures will be built in such a way that people remain inside the enclosure, and the tigers remain outside it," Acharya said.
The project will be developed in three phases, with separate enclosures for each tiger, limited forest area, electric fencing, viewing towers and water ponds. Officials said the full project would require substantial investment, but construction would begin this fiscal year.
Nepal currently has 19 problem tigers in enclosures across the country, seven in Chitwan, five each in Bardiya and the Central Zoo, and one each in Parsa and Banke, according to Dil Bahadur Purjapun, chief conservation officer of Chitwan National Park. A tiger captured this month was sent to Parsa because Chitwan lacks sufficient space.
Problem tigers are defined as violent animals that enter human settlements and cause loss of life or property. Some are released back into the forest after being held, while others remain in enclosures for life. Experts estimate that around five percent of tigers naturally become problem animals.
Nepal's latest national tiger survey recorded 429 tigers, up from 355 in 2022 and 121 in 2010. Chitwan has 145, Bardiya 112, Parsa 71, Banke 51 and Shuklaphanta 50.