Tiger population likely to increase in Nepal

By APD writer Ishwar Khanal

**KATHMANDU, April 2 (APD) ** - A vigorous survey of tiger census in Nepal's Suklaphanta National Park (SNP), a protected area in the Terai of the far-western region, has been completed with an estimation that the number of endangered animals has increased.

The survey was conducted as per Nepal's commitment to increase its tiger population up to 250 by 2022 at the Global Tiger Recovery Plan, which was endorsed during the 2010 St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation.

Though the officials involved in the survey census said that the number of big-cats has increased, the total population will be publicized in mid-May to ensure accuracy since the census is carried out on the basis of the stripes on the tiger's bodies. The two-month survey and observation were carried out by 11 groups, including 90 officials with the help of camera-trapping method.

According to Gopal Bahadur Ghimire, acting chief conservation officer and information officer at SNP, the officials are in the process of 'identifying and analyzing' the photos taken by some 520 cameras installed at 260 grids. In previous years, the tiger population was collected on the basis of the marks of the tiger claws.

A thorough study will be undertaken as similar stripes are found in many tigers on the basis of the thousands of photos and videos taken by the cameras. While the SNP had only 10 tigers in 2009, the number increased to 17 in 2013.

Officials said the number of tigers will be determined through ‘mark and recapture' method.

Countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and India, which constitute a larger tiger range in this region, are jointly taking tiger census. According to 2013 census, the number of tigers in Nepal stood at 198.

Officials say the involvement of these countries in conducting tiger census will ensure that there is no double counting of tigers that move between national borders. Organizations involved in tiger conservation say some tiger species are at risk.

According to officials at the National Nature Conservation Fund, the number of tigers has increased in recent years due to the 'seriousness and coordination' between locals and government authorities. In Nepal, tigers are being conserved in protected areas, including SNP, Chitwan National Park, Banke National Park, Parsa National Park, and Bardia National Park.

(ASIA PACIFIC

DAILY)