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The tiger found in Nepal is Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris). The total population of Royal Bengal Tiger throughout its range has been estimated around 3,176- 4,556 individuals. In Nepal , estimate population of tiger is around 123 distributed in three distinct populations in Royal Chitwan National Park , Royal Bardia National Park and Royal Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve respectively.
Tigers were once distributed throughout the lowland Terai and the adjoining foothills of the country. Significant decrease in tiger population was noticed during 1960s and 1970s as thousands of people migrated to Terai after malaria was eradicated. Tiger Ecology Project was initiated in the early 1970's as a joint venture of the government of Nepal , the Smithsonian Institution, and World Wildlife Fund to conduct research on the tiger and its prey species. Nepal prepared a Tiger Conservation Action Plan in 1999.
In Nepal tiger populations are under threat from fragmentation and loss of natural habitat and poaching. Tiger is listed in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Flora and Fauna) and is protected by Nepal's National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act (1973) in Appendix I.
Tigers are monitored using radio tracking and camera traps methods. Radio tracking was first used to track tigers in Nepal in 1973. In this method, a collar with an attached radio transmitter is placed around the neck of a tiger. Scientists monitor the radio transmissions as the tiger travels, tracking the tiger’s whereabouts to learn about its range, life history, and behaviors. More recently, scientists have set up camera traps that are triggered by an infrared beam. When a tiger crosses the infrared beam, the camera snaps a shot of the tiger, recording the date and time the photograph was taken. The tiger’s unique stripes help identify the animal, and when the same animal triggers other camera traps, the photo archives enable scientists to gather information about the tiger’s movements. This method helps scientists estimate tiger numbers in the wild.
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