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Dhakal, M.; Karki, M.; Lamichhane, B.R.; Malla, S.; Subedi, N.; Thapa, G.J.; Pokheral, C.P.; Yadav, H.K.; Jnawali, S.R.; Pradhan, N.M.B.; Bhatta, S.R.
Status of tiger and prey-base population in Nepal, 2013
2013  Full Book

This report highlights the major findings of the national tiger (_Panthera tigris tigris_) and prey-base survey carried out in 2013. The major objective of the survey was to estimate tiger and prey population in Nepal. The survey was jointly conducted by Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Department of Forests (DoF), National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and WWF Nepal from 5th February to 4th June, 2013. To estimate the tiger population, camera traps were deployed systematically in 1,039 grids of 2 km x 2 km with an intensive camera trap effort of 15,585 trap days covering 4,841 km2. Similarly, 544 line transects measuring 1,659 km were surveyed to estimate prey abundance. Likewise, several survey routes totalling 2,319 km was surveyed for estimating tiger occupancy across the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL). Data collection was made possible by the unprecedented effort of 268 trained personnel associated with DNPWC, DoF, NTNC, WWF Nepal, International Trust for Nature Conservation (ITNC), Nepal Army, Nature Guide Association, Buffer Zone User Committees and universities over 17,628 man-days. The financial and technical support for the survey was provided by WWF Nepal, NTNC and USAID-funded Hariyo Ban Program. A total of 142 individual tigers (Chitwan-78; Bardia-44; Suklaphanta-13; Parsa-4; Banke-3) were identified through careful examination of 7,699 tiger photographs obtained from camera traps. The data was analyzed using the program, SPACECAP (version 1) employing the spatially explicit capture recapture (SECR) approach. The total estimated tiger population in Nepal was found to be 198 (163-235) including 120 in Chitwan (98-139), 50 in Bardia (45-55); 17 in Suklaphanta (13-21); 7 in Parsa (4-13) and 4 in Banke (3.7) with a density estimate of 3.84, 3.38, 3.4, 0.65, and 0.16 tiger/100km2 respectively. Prey-base density was found to be the highest in Bardia with 92.6 animals/km2 followed by Suklaphanta (78.62), Chitwan (73.63), Parsa (25.33) and Banke (10.27). Occupancy survey has confirmed tiger presence in 12 Terai districts including two additional districts (Dang and Kapilvastu) which were devoid of tiger signs when surveyed in 2008/09. Tiger population in Nepal has increased by 63% over the 5-year period with an annual growth rate of 12.7%. The increment in the tiger population justifies the current conservation efforts in Nepal.

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