Nepal tiger population jumps to 177
The Tiger population in the Bardiya National Park(BNP), one of the best wild reserves for the endangered big cats across the globe, has almost doubled in last three years, a new count revealed. With the increase, the total tiger population in the country has reached 177 from 157. Celebrating the third Global Tiger Day on Sunday, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in coordination with the National Trust for nature Conservation made public the latest tiger population in the BNP. The last nationwide census conducted in 2009 had put the total number of tigers in the BNP at 18. Meanwhile, the tiger count conducted separately in April this year reported 10 tigers in the Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR). Besides BNP and SWR, the Chitwan National Park and Parsa Wildlife Reserve host habitats for this endangered species. The Babai valley inside the BNP is considered an ideal habitat for tigers as the place provides vast dwelling space with greater chance of finding prey species and, above all, privacy to these shy creatures since the area is located far from human settlements. Until 2001, 13 tigers were reportedly living around the valley’s perimeter. However, no tigers were reported in the increased poaching activities. At a time when the global tiger population is dwindling across the tiger range countries due to an alarming rate of poaching activities, the gradual increase in tiger numbers in Nepal comes as a positive hope for conservationists who are aiming to double the population of the big cats by 2022. Currently, there are around 3,500 tigers in wild worldwide.
