Tiger population plummets in Nepal

The news about tigers is not at all rosy in India. Conservationists are worried about the decline in population and are working overtime to reverse this trend. Now comes a shocker from Nepal. The census of tiger using camera trap in Suklaphanta Wildlife Conservation Park in western Nepal, has come out with disturbing results. Present estimate is 14 tigers, down from 25 during the 2004-2005 survey. The worst scenario estimates it at 5 tigers. It is feared that Chitwan National Park in south Nepal and in Bardiya National Park in the west will also show a similar decline. WWF says declining tiger population is due to rising demand for tiger products from China. WWF estimate is fewer than 150 tigers in Nepal, down from 360-370 in 2000.