Kathmandu: The government is set to launch a joint census of tigers and one-horned rhinoceroses in major national parks across the country starting from mid-December, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC).
The tiger census, which is conducted every four years, will be carried out in Parsa, Chitwan, Banke, and Bardiya National Parks as the department’s main focus. The same methodology will also be used to count rhinos, said Haribhadra Acharya, senior ecologist at the DNPWC.
The census is expected to run for three months, beginning in December–January. Although the department had earlier planned to conduct the rhino census in March–April 2026, officials are reconsidering the schedule as it coincides with the national elections on March 5, 2026.
The rhino census will cover Chitwan, Parsa, Shuklaphanta, and Koshi Tappu National Parks. Last fiscal year’s rhino census was postponed after donors withdrew financial support at the last moment.
The DNPWC has allocated Rs 1.8 million each for the tiger and rhino censuses, though the total costs are expected to exceed Rs 15 million and Rs 10 million respectively. Officials said additional funding will be sought from donor agencies.
According to the previous tiger census conducted in 2022, Nepal recorded a total of 335 tigers, including 128 in Chitwan, 125 in Bardiya, 25 in Banke, 41 in Parsa, and 36 in Shuklaphanta.