Global Importance of the Country:
Nestled among the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain
peaks, Nepal has a varied bio-geography, ranging from lush
moist subtropical forests and sparse alpine deserts to
luxurious grasslands. Massive rivers tumble from the Tibetan
plateau through the middle hills to the southern flood
plains. Flora and fauna from the Oriental and Palaearctic
zones meet and mingle. The altitudinal changes and resulting
habitat diversity give Nepal's ecosystems a unique wealth
and variety.
Nepal is home to approximately 250 tigers, distributed
mainly among protected areas, such as Royal Bardia National
Park and its buffer areas, the Royal Chitwan National Park,
and Royal Suklaphanta and Parsa Wildlife Reserves. These
four habitat complexes support some of the highest recorded
densities of tigers in Asia and belong to the Bardia-Banke
and Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki Level I Tiger Conservation Units.
Tigers in Chitwan hunt in the tallest grasslands in the
world, where grasses can top seven meters. Some tigers here
grow larger than tigers in Siberia. In addition to tigers,
Nepal shelters many other endangered species, including the
greater one-horned rhinoceros, snow leopard, Asian elephant,
barasingha or swamp deer, Gangetic dolphin, gharial or
fish-eating crocodile, and red panda.
The Conservation Challenge:
Fragmentation, degradation, and conversion of tiger habitat
continue unabated, even in protected areas like Royal
Bardia, Chitwan, and Parsa. Protected areas need to be
extended, by establishing buffer zones that separate core
tiger habitat from intense human activity and by securing
corridors that link isolated islands of habitat. The
resulting network of interconnected protected areas would
allow currently segregated tiger populations to interbreed,
improving their genetic health, and would increase the size
and thus the carrying capacity of tiger habitat, allowing
tiger populations to expand.
Since the early 1990's, Nepal has experienced an increase
in illegal wildlife trade, including tiger products, despite
strict legislation that mandates steep fines and lengthy
prison terms for offenders. Although it has received much
media attention, illegal trade persists, due in part to weak
law enforcement.
