Nepal faces habitat challenges as tiger population surges

March 24, Kathmandu: Nepal’s tiger population has seen a remarkable rise in recent years, prompting urgent calls to expand their habitat areas. With numbers climbing from 121 in 2009 to 355 in 2022, the growing presence of tigers in national parks, buffer zones, and surrounding forests has highlighted a pressing issue: shrinking habitats. This concern was raised during an interaction program organized by Chitwan National Park on Monday

Haribhadra Acharya, a senior ecologist at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, emphasized the critical need to address this challenge. He noted that the steady increase in tiger numbers over the past five years has underscored the necessity for expanded habitats. Acharya suggested that creating open zoos could serve as a solution, offering both a sanctuary for tigers and a potential source of income generation.

The data reflects a conservation success story, with tiger counts rising from 198 in 2013 to 253 in 2018, and now reaching 355 in 2022. However, Acharya pointed out a stark downside: the habitat area has diminished by 93 percent due to this population boom. He attributed the growth to Nepal’s dedicated conservation efforts, which have bolstered tiger numbers significantly in recent years.

Acharya estimated that the country’s forest areas could support up to 500 tigers, with the core park regions capable of accommodating approximately 404. He also highlighted the importance of protecting the tiger’s primary prey, deer species, alongside other animals like monkeys and domestic livestock that tigers occasionally hunt.

Globally, the tiger population paints a sobering picture. Acharya recalled that a century ago, around 100,000 tigers roamed the world, a number that has now plummeted to just 5,000. Nepal’s efforts stand out as a beacon of hope amid this decline, but the challenge of balancing population growth with adequate habitat remains a critical task for the future.