The Nepal government announced that the nation’s tiger population had increased from the baseline established in 2009 – an increase of over 190 per cent. These results are from Nepal’s National Tiger and Prey Survey 2022.
Nepal has nearly tripled its tiger population in the wild to 355 individuals, the country’s National Tiger and Prey Survey says.
The 190 per cent increase since 2009 is a result of the protection of key tiger habitats and corridors, partnership with local communities and cracking down on poaching and illegal wildlife trade, said WWF Nepal.
13 Tiger range countries are meeting in Russia in September on the occasion of the twelfth International Tiger Day and will begin discussions on the next 12-year commitments for tiger conservation under the Global Tiger Recovery Program.
The Nepal government announced that the nation’s tiger population had increased from the baseline established in 2009 – an increase of over 190 per cent. These results are from Nepal’s National Tiger and Prey Survey 2022.
With this announcement Nepal is the first country to release updated tiger numbers during the Year of the Tiger. Tiger range countries are meeting next month to begin discussions on the next 12-year commitments for tiger conservation under the Global Tiger Recovery Program.
The jump in the number of the wild cat and Nepal’s journey to increase its count of tigers highlights the importance of maintaining and rigorously protecting core habitats, partnering with communities to integrate conservation and development needs, and expanding conservation interventions to include corridors and habitats beyond existing protected areas.
Extensive effort
The target to double wild tigers, also known as Tx2, was set by governments in 2010 at the St. Petersburg International summit on tiger conservation.
“The doubling of Nepal’s tiger population is an extraordinary achievement and is the result of sustained conservation effort over many years,” said Stuart Chapman, WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative Leader. “Nepal has demonstrated the highest conservation standards in reaching this historic milestone. There is clearly much to learn from Nepal’s tiger population recovery over the last 12 years.”
An extensive effort covering 18,928 sq. km – over 12 per cent of the country – and 16,811 days of field staff time was invested to complete the survey. “The results bring both great hope and reassurance about tigers’ long-term future in Nepal,” says WWF-Nepal, an implementing partner in the survey led by the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation with support also from other conservation organizations (National Trust for Nature Conservation and ZSL Nepal).
“This conservation win is a result of political will and concerted efforts of local communities, youth, enforcement agencies, and conservation partners under the leadership of Government of Nepal,” said Ghana S Gurung, Country Director, WWF- Nepal.
Image: Hippopx, licensed to use Creative Commons Zero – CC0
