KATHMANDU: Nepal’s tiger population has increased to 429, according to the latest national tiger census.
The Ministry of Forests and Environment released the Tiger Census Report 2026 on Tuesday to mark Global Tiger Day. Minister for Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary unveiled the report.
According to the census, Chitwan National Park has the highest number of tigers at 145, followed by Bardiya National Park with 112, Parsa National Park with 71, Banke National Park with 51, and Shuklaphanta National Park with 50.
Officials said the increase in tiger numbers is attributed to improvements in protected areas and habitat management in recent years. Nepal conducts a tiger census every four years.
In the previous census carried out in 2022, Nepal recorded 355 tigers. At that time, Chitwan had 128 tigers, Bardiya 125, Parsa 41, Shuklaphanta 36, and Banke 25.
The ministry has been conducting regular tiger censuses since 2009. Nepal was home to 121 tigers in 2010, 198 in 2014, 235 in 2018, 355 in 2022, and 429 in 2026.
Global Tiger Day is observed annually on July 29. The day was established following the 2010 Tiger Summit held in St. Petersburg, Russia, with the aim of halting the decline in tiger populations and promoting the conservation of their natural habitats.
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