CHITWAN: The tiger census in the Chitwan–Parsa National Park Complex has been completed. The survey, which began on Poush 3, concluded today.
According to Information Officer Abinash Thapa Magar, work in the third block was finished, and all camera equipment has now been collected.
Thapa Magar said, “Thirteen teams worked across three blocks.” The first block, covering Triveni, Amaltari, Kasara, and Barandabhar areas, was divided into 286 grids for the census.
After collecting cameras from the first block, counting began in the second block. Thapa Magar said 13 camps were set up in this area, covering Sauraha, Khagendramalli, Lothar Pratappur, Bote Simara, Swameshwar, Bagai, Ambuwa, and Sikari Bas. This block was divided into 336 grids for the survey.
The third block comprised Parsa National Park, which was also divided into 336 grids. One pair of automated cameras was installed per grid, and each block was monitored for 17 nights. In total, 958 grids were used across the Chitwan–Parsa complex, with each grid representing an area of two square kilometers.
“Cameras are now being retrieved and collected,” Thapa Magar added.
The tiger census is conducted every four years, involving park staff, technical experts from the National Trust for Nature Conservation, local volunteers, students, and conservation partners. Monitors checked the cameras daily, identifying individual tigers based on their unique body patterns.
The previous census in 2022 recorded 355 adult tigers in Nepal, with 128 in Chitwan, 125 in Bardia, 25 in Banke, 41 in Parsa, and 36 in Shuklaphanta National Parks.
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