KATHMANDU – Though Nepal’s tiger conservation efforts have achieved a remarkable success, there seems to be problem in managing prey species for the growing tiger population.
The national tiger census 2018 published this year has put the number of royal Bengal tigers in Nepal at 235. Experts say that the tiger’s food-chain would be helpful only if the number of animals eaten by tiger such as deer, chital, antelope and wild-bore also increase in a similar proportion.
According to experts, a tiger in a year eat on average 50 animals ranging in weight from 14-40 kg. The prey necessary for the 235 tigers counted in the last census are available in Nepal’s national park, buffer zones, and the adjoining area and wildlife corridor.
The comparison between the food survey conducted in 2013 as part of tiger census and another survey of 2018 showed a decline in the number of tiger prey species.
Bardiya National Park has the highest number of tiger diet animals. According to a data collected on the basis of population density, Bardiya was found to have the highest number of animals preferred for hunting by tiger. The National Tiger Census 2018 has calculated the availability of tiger prey animals in every square kilometer. The survey of tiger prey animals was done on the basis of Line Transect Method, Department Deputy Director Gopal Bhattarai said.
In Bardiya, 77 tiger prey animals were found in one square kilometer area. Prior to this, 93 tiger prey animals had been found in 2013.
Though Baridya was found to have high density of tiger prey animals, their numbers declined in comparison to the earlier data. There are 87 adult tigers in Bardiya. There were 50 tigers at the national park according to the survey of 2013.
After Bardiya, the condition of tiger prey animal is comparatively better in Chitwan. A total of 71 prey animals were found in one square kilometer of Chitwan. In the previous survey, 74 animals were found in one square kilometer area. The number of tiger has dwindled to 93 from 120 counted in the last survey. Overall, the number of prey animals were also found to have dropped.
In Suklaphant National Park and the neighbouring area, 68 prey animals per square kilometer were found for 16 tigers. In the previous survey, 79 prey animals had been found for 17 tigers. The decline in the number of prey animals were noticed here too.
The survey showed that 22 and 8 prey animals per square kilometer were found in Parsa Wildlife Reserve, and Banke National Park and buffer zones respectively. Prior to this, there were 25 animals per square kilometer in Parsa and 10 animals per square kilometer in Banke. Eighteen tigers have been found in the place where there were 7 tigers during the last counting. Similarly, the number of tiger has grown from 4 to 21.
With the increase in tiger population, the challenges have grown in Banke. “It’s a good thing that the number of tigers has increased,” said Dil Bahadur Burja Pun, Chief Conservation Officer at Banke National Parks, “But it has added to the challenges for conservation. The population of tiger prey animals must increase.”
Tiger, which has been put in the list of endangered animals in the world, prey on chital, deer, antelope, wild-bore, Nilgai (blue-bull), swamp deer, monkey, and langur. In 12 Terai districts where tigers are found, many deer species and chital are found.
According to Director General of the Department Man Bahadur Khadka, wild boar, deer, nilgai (Asian antelope) are the major prey of tigers in Parsa. In the same manner, various species of deer, wild boar, blackbuck, and chital (spotted deer) are the major prey of tigers in Chitwan. While Langur, and Chauka (four-horned antelope) are the major tiger prey in Bardiya, says Khadka.
Tiger expert Chirinjivi Pokharel says the number of tiger won’t be affected despite the decline in prey animals. “The prey species of tiger haven’t declined much. Such minimum decrease in data won’t affect the tiger,” says Pokharel. “Why the number of tigers surged in Parsa and Banke in spite of the decline in prey animals. Tigers can be conserved by controlling poaching and maintaining their habitat.”
Department Director Khadka said the tigers as huge animal prefers preying on relatively bigger animals. “Tigers preference is bigger animals because it will last longer,” says Khadka. He says a tiger on average eats one deer in a week but it also preys on Kalij, rabbit and money if it is hungry.
Khadka, however, acknowledges that the impact in tiger prey species of late. “Tiger prey species has been affected to some extent,” he said. “Even the foods of prey species have been affected due to invasive weeds, climate change, lack of meadow and the lakes have been drying.” Tiger food-chain is also an indicator of ecosystem and tiger is a symbolic species of healthy environment.
A tiger eats 15-40 kg flesh at a time that will last for a week. Due to low availability of prey, sometimes the tigers of the national parks are found visiting the neighborhood of human settlements.
