JANAKPURDHAM: With the tiger population increasing significantly in Parsa National Park, the Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) certification process has been initiated to bring conservation management in line with international standards.
The park was home to 41 adult tigers in 2022, but the number rose to 71 in the latest tiger census conducted in 2026, marking a significant achievement in tiger conservation. The CA|TS process has now been initiated to ensure the sustainable and effective management of this achievement.
In this connection, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation organised a CA|TS workshop at the park premises. The workshop was attended by the Department’s Senior Ecologist Haribhadra Acharya, Park Chief Conservation Officer Ram Chandra Khatiwada, representatives of ZSL Nepal, Buffer Zone Management Committee, security agencies, park employees, members of local consumer committees and other stakeholders.
The workshop focused on preliminary preparations for CA|TS, self-assessment, management improvements, evidence collection and coordination among stakeholders, said Chief Conservation Officer Khatiwada.
Khatiwada said the increase in the number of tigers in Parsa from 41 in 2022 to 71 in 2026 was a significant conservation achievement. However, he said the challenge now was to ensure the safety and well-being of local communities alongside wildlife.
He stressed the need to create an environment in which local communities can directly benefit from conservation efforts, thereby fostering greater support for and partnership in wildlife conservation.
Senior Ecologist Acharya said an increase in the tiger population alone was not sufficient to measure the success of conservation efforts. He stressed the need for continuous improvement in habitat quality, food availability, security and overall management to ensure the long-term conservation of tigers.
According to Acharya, CA|TS will evaluate not only the number of tigers but also the overall management system required for tiger conservation based on international standards. “This is an opportunity for the park to implement this system,” he said.
He also suggested that human-tiger coexistence and community security, awareness and participation could be strengthened by linking the park’s ‘Friends of the Tiger’ campaign with the CA|TS process.
Stakeholders participating in the workshop emphasised that CA|TS should not be pursued merely as a process for obtaining certification, but as a joint conservation campaign involving the park, buffer zones, security agencies, conservation partners and local communities.
CA|TS will assess not only tiger numbers but also habitat, prey availability, protection, management, scientific monitoring, community participation, human-tiger conflict, tourism and the long-term status of tigers.
The process will now move forward with registration, self-assessment, preparation of improvement plans, compliance-related documentation, national review, independent evaluation and international decision-making.
Khatiwada said priority would be given to habitat and prey species protection, controlling poaching and hunting, smart patrolling, human-tiger conflict management, scientific monitoring and community participation.
With the tiger population continuing to grow, the CA|TS certification process is expected to make conservation management in Parsa National Park more scientific, systematic and consistent with international standards.
He said conservation success should not be measured merely by obtaining a certificate, but by ensuring that tigers remain safe, forests remain healthy and local communities remain safe and active partners in conservation.
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