Tiger conservation in Nepal is critical to safeguarding biodiversity across South Asia. Tigers are an endangered keystone species whose presence helps regulate ecosystems and support biodiversity. As apex predators, their existence directly impacts prey populations, plant growth, and the ecological balance of entire landscapes. But while tiger numbers have seen modest increases in some regions, the threats to their survival remain. In Nepal, where people and tigers often coexist in close proximity, human-wildlife conflict remains one of the greatest barriers to long-term tiger conservation.
Supported by the Big Cats Initiative through the Great Plains Foundation, a grant-making program established by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, a groundbreaking project in Nepal is charting a new path forward. The Bioacoustics Research Group (BRG) has been developing a novel, non-invasive method to monitor tiger presence using passive acoustic monitoring. This approach listens not for tigers themselves, but for the alarm calls of their prey, such as chital deer, monkeys, and birds. Tigers have lost approximately 95% of their historical habitat range. They are listed as “endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and recent assessments estimate that there are between 3,726 and 5,578 tigers left in the wild.
Innovation in Conservation
Traditional methods for tracking tigers, such as GPS collars and camera traps, have limitations. GPS collars necessitate the capture and sedation of animals, which pose logistical and ethical concerns. Camera traps, while less invasive, provide a narrow field of detection and can easily miss tigers moving outside their view.
In contrast, BRG’s method uses solar-powered acoustic sensors called “Caracals” that ‘listen’ for the alarm calls made by prey species in response to the presence of tigers. These calls are context-specific and have long been used by wildlife guides to locate predators. Now, BRG is automating that process using real-time data.
In 2024, the team installed ten Caracal units in the Dalla Community Forest, which borders Bardiya National Park — one of Nepal’s most important tiger habitats. These sensors are connected to a central, community-operated computer system that produces heat maps of tiger activity. Local people use these maps to determine where it may be unsafe to enter the forest or graze livestock, thereby reducing the risk of encounters.
“The principle of having a widely-deployed network of autonomous bioacoustic sensors with automatic detection of the focal species can be applied to many different ecosystems.”
– Dr. Angela Dassow, Carthage College
Community Engagement
Local engagement is central to the project’s success. From the start, community members have helped shape the system: field guides collected baseline data on chital deer alarm calls, while a forest ranger was employed to verify detections with visual observations. The BRG team emphasises that it’s about collaboration.
BRG is also partnering with Tribhuven University in Kathmandu to train researchers and graduate students in bioacoustics and conservation technology. This academic exchange helps build long-term local capacity, ensuring that the knowledge and tools remain within the country.
“Our aim in this partnership is that we will share our knowledge of bioacoustics with the local leadership and empower the students to use the latest technology for tiger monitoring. As part of this partnership, we also hope that additional equipment can be deployed in other areas of Nepal that are experiencing high levels of human-wildlife conflict.” – Bioacoustics Research Group.
Real-Time, Real-World Impact
The strength of this approach lies in its immediacy and accuracy. By mapping predator presence through prey responses, BRG can monitor tigers 24/7 — regardless of vegetation, terrain, or weather conditions. This approach allows conservationists to effectively “listen in” on the ecosystem, identifying patterns that would otherwise go unnoticed.
“Bioacoustics gives us the ability to detect the presence of tigers at any time of day. We’re leveraging the deer, who are themselves listening for tigers, and then making their alarm calls, which we can pick up.” – Bioacoustics Research Group.
This methodology reduces the risks of human-wildlife conflict, a leading cause of retaliatory killings of tigers. It also creates opportunities for early-warning systems and wildlife corridors that can keep both people and tigers safer.
Global Lessons from Tiger Conservation in Nepal
While this tiger conservation project is based in Nepal, its implications extend far beyond. The same principles could be used to monitor other elusive or endangered species across various landscapes.
This work also highlights the importance of coexistence models, which are systems that benefit both wildlife and people. Conservation success protects animals and supports the communities that live alongside them.
“Heat maps of these detections can then be shared with local community members so they can be informed of tiger movement in the area and in return, they can choose to avoid potential areas of conflict.” Bioacoustics Research Group.
Looking Forward
This pilot project is already showing promising results. But with increased funding and support, more sensors can be deployed, more local people can be trained, and the model can be replicated across tiger habitats and beyond. The ultimate goal is to create a global network of passive acoustic systems that serve as an early warning tool and conservation monitoring framework.
Message from the Team
“Even when the conservation challenges seem overwhelming, new technologies are coming online that will help turn the situation around. Don’t give up!” – Bioacoustics Research Group.
Watch the video to hear directly from the scientists and field team leading this work, and see how tiger conservation is evolving in real-time.
Filmed by: VisionHawk Films
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