KANCHANPUR: A tiger census has begun in the Shuklaphanta-Laljhadi-Jogbuda Complex under Shuklaphanta National Park in Kanchanpur.
According to Conservation Officer Purushottam Wagle, the national tiger census is being conducted using the camera-trapping method. He said the nationwide tiger census is carried out every four years. The complex, where the survey is being conducted for the fifth time using camera traps, will be monitored for 15 days.
The park has installed automatic cameras on both sides of forest trails and roads after identifying areas frequently used by tigers. “The census is conducted based on the photographs captured by these cameras,” Wagle said. “The stripe pattern of each tiger is unique, which helps identify individual animals.”
A 77-member technical team has been deployed for the census in the park, and trained elephants will also be mobilized if required.
“Manpower has been deployed in 11 camps, and 520 automatic cameras have been installed across 260 grids,” Wagle said. “Each grid contains a pair of cameras.”
According to the park, cameras have been installed in multiple grids across the complex, including 23 grids in Alital of Dadeldhura District, 23 in Bankheda, 21 in Bedkot, 19 in Chirkitte, 36 in Dandajai, 31 in Domilla, 26 in Kalikich, 23 in Kuwa Danda, 16 in Naula, 23 in Shukla, and 19 in Tikeni.
The 2022 national census recorded 36 tigers in Shuklaphanta National Park, although an internal survey by the park later estimated the population at 43 tigers.
Officials say the number of tigers in the park has been increasing in recent years, largely due to the growing population of prey species in the area.
Spread over 305 square kilometers, Shuklaphanta National Park is known for having one of the highest tiger densities in a relatively small protected area in Nepal.
Comment