ROYAL BENGAL TIGER

Scientific name: Panthera tigris tigris
Local name: Bagh

Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is native to the Indian sub-continent and is found in the plains and foothills of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar as well as Nepal. The total population of Royal Bengal Tiger is estimated to be around 5,000 while around 340-350 individuals can be found in the grasslands of Chitwan National Park, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Bardia National Park, and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (DNPWC, 2002). 

Adult male weighs around 180-230 Kgs and is up to 2.9 meters in length while female weighs up to 136 Kgs and is 2.44 meters in length. Tigers found in the Himalaya are larger and furrier than those found in the mid and southern region. The tiger is the top carnivore (final consumer) of many ecosystems. The tiger has incredible vision and the pattern of stripes on a tiger’s skin is unique to each individual animal. 

Survival of the tiger ensures the existence of whole array of species sharing the same habitat and in turn the existence of the human being. More than 100,000 individuals of eight different sub-species of tiger were found just in the beginning of the century however mainly due to human interference, habitat destruction and the loss of their prey base, three species of the Tiger became extinct. Today the tiger is a critically endangered wildlife species, listed in Appendix I of the Red Data Book of IUCN, and CITES list as well. In Nepal, tiger is listed as a protected species under National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973.

 THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF TIGER TRADE 
The wide spread poaching of tigers and habitat destruction has threatened the very existence of the tiger. Nepal needs to protect this mega vertebrate from poachers and traders.

 WCN’S CAMPAIGN AGAINST TIGER TRADE 
WCN has launched various campaigns to curb illegal trade of Tiger. Advocacy Campaigns, Sensitization Workshops, Training Programs, Media Campaigns have been conducted by WCN at different levels and in various sectors of society to conserve tigers so that this magnificent mammal is protected in the wild. 
Though our infrastructure is still at its infancy stage, most of the time we have been successful in carrying out sting operations and bringing the guilty to book. Sometimes we face difficulty as monitoring (day and night) is time consuming and when there is no result, we waste resources, and even peril our people at the ground. Such intelligence gathering activities may require a different approach while monitoring and evaluating our program.

Tiger and other big cat skins are transported to different destinations via Kathmandu.

Tibetans in Kathmandu still wear traditional Tibetan attire called Chuba in their social activities.

If you want to support WCN in the conservation of Royal Bengal Tiger or if you want more information about Tiger- then please contact: mail@wcn.org.np

TIGER SKIN AND BONE SEIZURE IN NEPAL
2000-2006