Shuklaphanta National Park begins fifth tiger census

KANCHANPUR: The counting of tigers in Shuklaphanta National Park began in Kanchanpur district on Tuesday; the exercise is the fifth such count in the park and its vicinity.

Purushottam Wagle, conservation officer at the park, said the big cats will be enumerated using the camera-trapping method. The tigers are counted every four years, and this is the fifth time the count is being carried out.

The survey will be conducted across the park and its vicinity, with a total of 520 automated cameras installed along identified tiger trails.

A 77-member technical team has been mobilised for the task. Elephants will also be used to facilitate the count, and the workforce is operating from 11 camps.

The last survey, held in 2022, recorded 36 tigers in the park, which covers an area of 305 square kilometres. Officials expect the number of big cats to have increased since then.

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