Nepal’s Tiger Population Rises to an Estimated 429
Context
According to Nepal’s latest nationwide tiger survey, the country’s wild tiger population has reached an estimated 429, marking an increase of nearly 20% since 2022. The achievement reflects the success of sustained conservation efforts and reinforces Nepal’s position as a global leader in tiger conservation.
Key Highlights
- Nepal’s tiger population has grown from 355 in 2022 to an estimated 429 in 2026, reflecting the effectiveness of scientific monitoring, habitat protection and coordinated wildlife conservation measures.
- The nationwide assessment covered over 7,300 sq. km across protected landscapes and deployed more than 3,600 motion-sensitive camera traps along with advanced image-based identification techniques to estimate tiger numbers.
- Nepal became the first country to fulfil its commitment of doubling wild tiger numbers under the global TX2 Initiative, achieving the target ahead of global expectations.
Key Concepts
- International Tiger Day (29 July): Observed every year to promote awareness about tiger conservation, habitat protection and the ecological importance of apex predators in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
- TX2 Initiative: Launched in 2010 under the Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP) with the objective of doubling the global wild tiger population through coordinated conservation efforts by tiger-range countries.
- Major Tiger Habitats in Nepal: Include Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park, Banke National Park, Parsa National Park and Shuklaphanta National Park, all forming part of the ecologically significant Terai Arc Landscape (TAL).
- Terai Arc Landscape (TAL): A transboundary conservation landscape shared by India and Nepal, designed to enhance habitat connectivity, facilitate wildlife movement and support coordinated conservation of tigers, elephants and other threatened species.
- India–Nepal Cooperation: Both countries collaborate on transboundary wildlife conservation through joint anti-poaching operations, ecological monitoring, intelligence sharing and habitat connectivity initiatives to protect shared tiger populations.