Research overview: tiger recovery in Nepal and the Terai

Nepal became an early flagship for the tiger doubling agenda, reporting substantial population growth in its lowland Terai reserves such as Chitwan and Bardia. This overview surveys research on what drove those gains, including intensive anti-poaching with military and community support, restoration of grassland and prey, and transboundary coordination with adjacent Indian habitats. Studies used camera-trap monitoring and occupancy surveys to document rising tiger numbers and expanding range. Researchers also examined human-tiger conflict, which intensified as populations grew near dense human settlements, and the role of community forests and corridors in linking reserves. Nepal is often cited as evidence that committed national programs can rebuild tigers quickly. The overview considers both the achievements and the sustainability challenges of crowding more tigers into limited, increasingly contested habitat.