tIGERS OF NEPAL: iNCREASING NUMBER OF ATTACKS ON LOCAL COMMUNITY

On July 29th, we join the global celebration to raise awareness about tiger conservation and promote ‘Human-Tiger Coexistence. Nepal has made impressive role in tiger conservation, exceeding its commitment to double the tiger population. However, as the tiger population grows, so do the challenges in managing their habitats and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts. In this article, we explore the significance of tiger conservation, Nepal’s conservation efforts, and the measures needed to protect both tigers and local communities.

Overview:

29 July, Kathmandu. This day is World Tiger Day. On the occasion of the day, this year also in Nepal, like in the world, various programs are being celebrated. The theme of this year’s day is ‘Human-Tiger Coexistence’.

The Ministry of Forests and Environment is celebrating a special program at the zoo in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur as part of the main program of the day. Likewise, the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department under the Ministry has arranged to play ‘ringtone’ related to tiger conservation on the telephone service of Nepal Telecom on Divas days.

Ajay Karki, the deputy director general of the department, informed that the ten-year action plan (year 2023-32) related to tigers is going to be released on the occasion of the day.

He said that the main issue in the action plan is related to the increased management challenges and increasing human-tiger conflict. World Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29 every year to spread awareness about the importance of tiger conservation. This was announced by the International Tiger Forum held in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2010. The first World Tiger Conference was held on that platform.

Spotted tigers are found in 13 countries of the world. The conference of the governments and heads of state of those countries in 2010 in St. Petersburg expressed the commitment to double the number of tigers by the year 2022

Double the resolution, nearly triple the growth

In that conference, Nepal made a commitment to double the number of tigers in Nepal from 121 as per the 2009 census. According to the national tiger census conducted in 2022, the number of tigers in Nepal has reached 355. Nepal has succeeded in increasing the number of tigers more than the commitment to double the number of tigers in that conference.

Apart from Nepal, spotted tigers are found in India, China, Bhutan, Russia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Laos. It is estimated that the number of tigers in the world until 1900 was around one lakh.

According to the statistics of 2016, India had the highest number of tigers in the world at 2,226 and Laos had the lowest number of 2 tigers.

58 deaths in five years in Nepal due to tiger attacks

According to statistics, 200 people have died in the last five years due to attacks by wild animals such as elephants, tigers, rhinos, leopards, bears, and wild dogs. Also, the government has already paid more than 600 million rupees for compensation.

Incidents such as wild animals injuring people, damage to crops, houses and sheds are increasing. Among them, there are statistics that only 58 people have died from tigers in the country in the last five years. In financial year 2079/80, 12 people died from tiger attacks, 21 in 2078/79, 13 in 2077/78, 8 in 2076/77 and 4 in 2075/76.

Dr. Ghanshyam Gurung, the national representative of World Wildlife Fund Nepal, said that in order to prevent human-wildlife conflict, the communities around the forest should be given livelihood options so that they do not enter the forest, and the behavior of the locals towards wild animals should be changed.

Also, he emphasized that if the habitat of wild animals can be well managed, wild animals will not go out and if local residents can also be provided with alternative income, then all the stakeholders should work together to create a situation where they are not forced to go to the forest for livelihood.

The tiger is considered as a symbolic animal all over the world. The tiger, which is a natural heritage, is also considered important from a cultural and historical point of view.

It also contributes to balance the biological system. Because the tiger is the main predator in the food chain, it makes a significant contribution to the balance of the environment by keeping other animals under control.

Conclusion:

World Tiger Day serves as a vital reminder of the importance of preserving these magnificent creatures and their habitats. Nepal’s success in increasing the tiger population is remarkable, but the rising incidents of human-wildlife conflicts present new challenges. To ensure this problem ,a collaborative effort involving the government, communities, and conservation organizations is required. By providing alternative livelihood options to local residents and managing the habitats of wild animals, we can create an environment where tigers and humans thrive together. Together, let us work towards securing the future of these iconic animals, for they not only symbolize our natural heritage but also play a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystem. Happy World Tiger Day!