WWF is delighted to congratulate Nepal for successfully doubling its tiger population to an estimate of 355 individuals – an increase of more than 190 per cent since 2009. Those are the results published in Nepal’s National Tiger and Prey Survey 2022.
Tigers are the world’s largest cat and an apex predator, which is why they play a significant role in the structure and function of the ecosystems on which both humans and wildlife rely. They are a “landscape” species, needing large areas with diverse habitats, free from human disturbance and rich in prey. One of the main threaths they face is habitat fragmentation that forces them into small areas where they don’t have enough food, causing them to come into conflict with the local population. The second biggest threat that leads them towards extinction are poaching and illegal trade of live or killed tigers, their cubs and parts of their bodies.
The survey highlights the importance of maintaining and rigorously protecting core habitats, partnering with communities to ensure long-term conservation success and expanding conservation interventions to include corridors and habitats beyond extant Protected Areas.
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Stuart Chapman, Tigers Alive Initiative Leader, WWF said “The doubling of Nepal’s tiger population is an extraordinary achievement and is the result of sustained conservation effort over many years. Nepal has demonstrated the highest conservation standards in reaching this historic milestone. There is clearly much to learn from Nepal’s tiger population recovery over the last 12 years. ”
While the future of Nepal’s tigers across vast landscapes has always been a challenge in the face of various threats, the latest estimate indicates the relevance of the conservation measures that have been implemented by the Government, WWF and other organisations working in the sector. The target to double wild tigers, also known as Tx2, was set by governments in 2010 at the St.Petersburg International summit on tiger conservation. With this announcement Nepal is the first country to release updated tiger numbers during the Year of the Tiger. Tiger range countries are meeting next month to begin discussions on the next 12-year commitments for tiger conservation under the Global Tiger Recovery Program.
“Success or failure means more than securing the future of a single iconic species – it sets a precedent for how we will consider and prioritise the health of nature in global development and in a changing climate going forward”, said Snježana Malić-Limari from WWF Adria.
Source: WWF Adria
