For a long time the number of tigers in Nepal was decreasing at an alarming rate. According to a survey conducted by the World Wildlife Fund, the number of tigers in the Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in Nepal fell by about 30% between 2005 and 2008. The decline was such that there were only an estimated six tigers in the reserve in 2009. The chief cause of this population fall was habitat destruction caused by extensive deforestation. This was exacerbated by the illegal poaching that feeds the enormous demand for trafficked tiger products.
however, last year the government of Nepal announced that amazingly the number of tigers has started to increase. They found that the tiger population had increased by 63 per cent since the last survey in 2009, putting the total number of tigers in Nepal at about 200.
As part of a concerted effort to boost the tiger population, the Nepalese government and the WWF provide training and resources to park rangers, encourage local community engagement, protect tiger habitats and combat illegal poaching.