Wildlife Conservation in Nepal: Overview

Nepal, despite occupying only 0.1% of the Earth’s land area, harbors an astonishing 3.2% of the world’s known flora and 8.2% of bird species. It is home to iconic species such as the Bengal tiger, greater one-horned rhinoceros, Asian elephant, snow leopard, red panda, and Ganges river dolphin. The country has become a global success story in wildlife conservation, especially for tiger and rhino populations, but it still faces serious challenges.

Protected Area Network (23.39% of the country, aiming for 30% by 2030)

Category	Number	Total Area (km²)	Key Sites & Flagship Species
National Parks	13	14,900	Chitwan (rhino, tiger), Bardia (tiger), Sagarmatha (snow leopard), Shey-Phoksundo (snow leopard, blue sheep)
Wildlife Reserves	1	1	Koshi Tappu (wild water buffalo, last 500+ individuals)
Conservation Areas	6	15,523	Annapurna, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Api-Nampa, Gaurishankar, Krishnasar
Hunting Reserve	1	1,325	Dhorpatan (blue sheep, controlled trophy hunting)
Buffer Zones	13 parks + 1 reserves	5,600	Revenue-sharing communitiesPopulation Trends of Key Species (1973–2025)

Species	1970s Population	2022–2025 Population	Achievement
Greater one-horned rhino	~100	~752 (2021 census) → 694 in  Chitwan alone (2025 update)	Increased >7 times; Nepal declared “zero poaching” years multiple times
Bengal tiger	~100	355 (2022 national survey)	Doubled in 12 years; on track to triple the 2010 baseline (Tx2 goal achieved ahead of schedule)
Snow leopard	Unknown	~400–500 (estimated)	Stable; community-based conservation expanding
Blackbuck	<10	~300 in Blackbuck Conservation Area	Brought back from brink of extinction in Nepal
Gharial	<200	~250–300 (2024)	Breeding centers successful

Nepal celebrated “zero poaching years” for rhinos in 2011, 2013–2014, 2015–2016, and 2018–2019, a remarkable feat in a decade ago when rhino poaching was rampant across Africa and Asia.

Key Protected Areas (covering ~23.39% of Nepal’s land)

• Chitwan National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – flagship for rhino and tiger conservation
• Bardia National Park – highest tiger density in Nepal
• Parsa, Banke, and Shuklaphanta National Parks
• Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang, Sagarmatha, Makalu-Barun, Shey-Phoksundo
• Ten conservation areas (Annapurna, Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, Api-Nampa, Blackbuck, etc.)
• Four wildlife reserves and one hunting reserve

Conservation Approaches That Worked

1. Community-Based Conservation
   • Buffer-zone program (since 1996): 50% of park revenue goes back to local communities → drastic reduction in poaching and human-wildlife conflict.
   • Community forests handed over to local users; locals now actively protect wildlife.
2. Strong Anti-Poaching Efforts
   • Nepal Army deployed inside national parks.
   • Community-based anti-poaching units (youths paid to patrol).
   • Real-time SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) patrolling since 2012.
3. Translocation and Population Management
   • Rhinos and tigers regularly translocated from Chitwan to Bardia, Banke, and Shuklaphanta to create new viable populations and reduce overcrowding.
4. International Cooperation
   • Partnership with WWF, ZSL, NTNC (National Trust for Nature Conservation), USAID Hariyo Ban Program, and others.

Current and Emerging Challenges (2025)

• Habitat fragmentation due to infrastructure (railways, highways, East-West electric railway, Nijgadh airport proposal).
• Human-wildlife conflict on the rise (tiger and leopard attacks increased → more attacks; elephant and rhino crop raiding).
• Invasive species (Mikania micrantha choking grasslands essential for rhino and tiger prey).
• Climate change impacts on high-altitude species (snow leopard, red panda) and Terai flooding patterns.
• Post-COVID illegal logging and wildlife trade spikes in some areas.
• Political instability sometimes affects long-term funding and enforcement.

Recent Milestones (2023–2025)

• 2022 National Tiger Survey: 355 tigers (100% increase since 2010).
• 2024: Launch of Nepal’s Snow Leopard Conservation Action Plan (2024–2033).
• 2025: Terai Arc Landscape celebrates 20 years; new population estimates show stable or growing rhino numbers in all parks despite 2024 floods.
• Government commitment to expand protected areas to 30% of the country by 2030.

Major Ongoing & Upcoming Projects (2025–2030)

Project	Lead Agency	Budget (USD)	Goal
Terai Arc Landscape 20-year	WWF Nepal	60 million	Zero extinction, 500 tigers by 2030
Snow Leopard Conservation Plan	DNPWC / WWF	15 million	Connect all 9 snow leopard PAs
Western Terai Complex Extension	NTNC / ZSL	12 million	New corridors between Banke & Suhelwa (India)
Electric fencing & underpasses	Hariyo Ban II	18 million	Reduce HWC along East-West Highway

Nepal remains one of the very few countries in Asia that has consistently increased populations of mega-fauna over the past five decades. The combination of strict protection, community involvement, and science-based management has turned it into a global model for turning the tide on endangered species.

Key Strategies and Milestones

1. Translocation Program: Rhinos are moved from high-density Chitwan to underpopulated parks like Bardia and Shuklaphanta. In 2025, three rhinos (two females, one male) were successfully translocated to Parsa, boosting its population to 15+. This reduces overcrowding and spreads risk—Chitwan alone can't hold them all forever.
2. Community-Led Protection: 50% of park revenues (from tourism fees) flow back to buffer-zone communities, funding schools, health clinics, and anti-poaching patrols. In Sauraha village near Chitwan, locals now use apps to report suspicious activity, turning former snares into smartphone alerts.
3. Habitat Restoration: Focus on clearing invasives like Mikania micrantha, which smothers rhino food sources. A 2025 pilot in Bardia used community labor to restore 20 km², leading to a 15% prey species rebound (deer, which rhinos share with tigers).
4. International Ties: Aligns with the Asian Rhino Range Countries' commitments (Nepal, India, Bhutan). In March 2025, Nepal-India talks advanced "Project Rhino," eyeing rhino exchanges across borders—rhinos already wander from Shuklaphanta to India's Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.
5. Monitoring Tech: 5,000+ camera traps and AI-driven analysis track every rhino. The 2026 full census (previously scheduled for 2025 due to the monsoons) will utilize satellite collars on 50 individuals to provide real-time flood alerts.

Challenges and Adaptations

• Floods and Climate: 2024's floods killed ~16 rhinos; the plan now mandates elevated "refuge islands" in floodplains, tested successfully in Chitwan.
• Infrastructure Pressures: Highway expansions fragment habitats; underpasses and overpasses are being built with USAID funding.
• Funding: USD 25 million committed (2025–2030), split between government (40%), WWF/USAID (50%), and tourism (10%). The post-COVID tourism rebound reached NPR 1.5 billion in 2025, fueling the effort.