Kathmandu : Today is World Tiger Day. On the occasion of this day, various programs are being organized in Nepal and around the world this year as well. The theme of this year’s day is ‘Human-Tiger Coexistence.’
The Ministry of Forests and Environment is conducting a special program at the Jawalakhel Zoo in Lalitpur on the main day. Additionally, the National Trust for Nature Conservation and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, under the Ministry, have informed about the arrangement of a special ‘ringtone’ related to tiger conservation on Nepal Telecom’s telephone service on the occasion of this day.
According to the information provided by Ajay Karki, the Deputy Director-General of the Department, the ten-year (2023-32) Tiger Action Plan has been made public during the occasion. He emphasized that despite the increase in tiger numbers, the main challenge remains in managing and coexisting with the growing human-tiger conflict.
World Tiger Day is celebrated every year on July 29th to raise awareness about the importance of tiger conservation. The first-ever Global Tiger Summit was held in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2010, where this day was announced.
Nepal is home to tigers in 13 countries worldwide. The goal set by Nepal during the summit was to double the number of tigers by 2022. According to the data of the National Tiger Census conducted in 2022, Nepal now has a total of 355 tigers. This achievement surpasses the commitment made during the summit to double the tiger population.
In 2022, a total of 128 tigers were found in Chitwan National Park, and 125 tigers were found in Bardia National Park. Additionally, 25 tigers were found in Bardiya, 41 in Parsa, and 36 in Suklaphanta. These are the figures provided by the Department.
In Nepal, the National Representative of the World Wildlife Fund, Dr. Ghanshyam Gurung, highlighted the need to change the behavior of communities living within the forest area and provide them with alternative livelihood opportunities to reduce the human-wildlife conflict.
During the past five years, five people lost their lives due to tiger attacks in Nepal. Additionally, the government has compensated more than 60 crores for the loss incurred due to property damage caused by wildlife, including tigers. Wildlife is increasingly encroaching on human settlements, causing incidents such as crop damage, house damage, and human casualties.
Nepal has been celebrating Tiger Day at the national level since 2067 BS. As part of the efforts to increase the awareness of the importance of tiger conservation, efforts have been made to reduce the human-tiger conflict by providing alternative livelihood opportunities and creating a situation where wildlife does not need to go outside the forest area.
The tiger is considered a symbol of nature worldwide. It is also significant from a cultural and historical perspective. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance in the food chain. The natural system is benefited by keeping other animals in check as the main predator in the food chain.