Nepal’s wild tiger population has reached a record 429, according to the latest National Tiger Census released Wednesday in Kathmandu to mark Global Tiger Day.

The figure, announced by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in the presence of Agriculture, Forests and Environment Minister Geeta Chaudhary, continues a remarkable recovery. From just 121 tigers in 2009, numbers rose to 198 in 2013, 235 in 2018, 355 in 2022 and now 429 — more than a threefold increase in 15 years.

The big cats live across the Terai Arc Landscape, covering Chitwan, Bardiya, Parsa, Banke and Shuklaphanta National Parks along with surrounding buffer zones and wildlife corridors. Chitwan remains the stronghold with 145 tigers, followed by Bardiya (112), Parsa (71), Banke (51) and Shuklaphanta (50).

Every park recorded gains except Bardiya, where numbers dipped from 125 in 2022 to 112. The sharpest rises came in Parsa (up from 41 to 71), Banke (25 to 51) and Shuklaphanta (36 to 50).

Nepal conducts the census every four years, monitoring tiger numbers, prey species and habitat conditions to shape future conservation plans. The survey is a joint effort by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, provincial governments, the Nepal Army and conservation partners.

IUCN supports the work through its Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme, funded by German Cooperation via KfW Development Bank. The programme contributes to global goals under the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The sustained rise underscores Nepal’s standing as a global success story in tiger conservation, achieved through protected habitats, anti-poaching efforts and community involvement across the Terai.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​