The Nepal Weekly 
November 11, 2025
Nepal is preparing to launch the tiger census in Parsa, Chitwan, Banke, Bardiya, and Shuklaphanta National Parks from mid – December this year. The rhino census, postponed last fiscal year due to a sudden withdrawal of donor funding, will also resume this year after the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) allocated partial fund for the purpose.
Senior ecologist at DNPWC Haribhadra Acharya said that the tiger census conducted every four years will run for three months starting from December. Meanwhile, the rhino census, initially planned for March – April 2026, has been rescheduled as it coincides with the national elections announced for March 5, 2026.
The rhino census will cover Chitwan, Parsa, Shuklaphanta, and KoshiTappu National Parks. The Department has allocated Rs 1.8 million each for the tiger and rhino censuses, though the total costs are expected to exceed Rs 15 million and Rs 10 million, respectively. Officials said the remaining funds will be sought from donor organizations.
In the last tiger census conducted in 2022, Nepal recorded a total of 335 tigers; 128 in Chitwan, 125 in Bardiya, 25 in Banke, 41 in Parsa, and 36 in Shuklaphanta. The number was more than double of the 2010.
Nepal’s tiger population has experienced a significant decline over the 20th century, but has seen a major recovery since 2010. Following a historical low, the government and international partners committed to doubling the population by 2022, a goal Nepal exceeded with a 2022 count of 355 tigers. This is a nearly tripling from the 121 tigers recorded in 2010 and has been achieved through conservation efforts like the establishment of national parks and dedicated census tracking.
Key milestones in the history of Nepal’s tiger count In 20th Century, the tiger population saw a drastic decline, with numbers falling to an all-time low. This was primarily due to habitat loss and poaching.
In 1973, conservation efforts began in earnest with the establishment of Chitwan National Park, the country’s first national park. During 1995 – 2009, Periodic national censuses were conducted, with the numbers fluctuating as it shows in 1995 there were 98 tigers, 109 in 2000, 126 in 2005, 121 in 2009. In 2010, the government and 12 other countries pledged to double the wild tiger population by 2022 the campaign was also known as the TX2 goal. In 2013, the tiger population grew to 198. That was a 63% increase from 2009.In 2018, the tiger population reached 235. That was mentioned in the third national tiger and prey survey.
Remarkably, Nepal’s tiger population reached 355 in 2022, exceeding the TX2 goal of doubling its 2010 population. This was announced in July 2022 following the fourth national survey conducted from December 2021 to April 2022. However, as the tiger population has grown, concerns have also emerged about increased human-tiger conflict and the long-term sustainability of the population, particularly regarding potential habitat fragmentation from development projects.
Moreover, Nepal’s protected areas are estimated to be able to sustain around 400 tigers, highlighting the need for continued management and planning.
