Nepal's tiger population has nearly tripled in the last twelve years, from a low count of 121 in 2010 to an impressive 355, according to the December census unveiled by Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Friday.

Nepal has pulled off this remarkable feat through rigorous conservation efforts and an effective crackdown on poaching, Deuba said at a program to mark International Tiger Day here.

In doing so, Nepal has successfully achieved its goal of doubling its tiger population by 2022, as per its commitment, along with 12 other tiger range countries, during the first tiger summit held in 2010 in St. Petersburg.

Nepal thus becomes the first of the 13 tiger range countries to release its tiger population figures ahead of the next summit, which is scheduled to take place in Vladivostok, Russia, in September this year.

The fourth national tiger and prey survey carried out by the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation in association with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has found 355 adult tigers in the forests of Nepal.

Out of 23 districts in which a tiger survey was conducted tiger was reported in 16 districts across the country.

According to the survey, Nepal has 355 tigers, including 41 in and around Parsa National Park, 128 in and around Chitwan National Park and forest area, 25 in and around Banke National Park, and 125 in and around Bardiya National Park and 36 in Shuklaphanta National Park area.

Globally, tigers are found in the wild only in 13 Asian countries including Nepal, India, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Russia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.

The Nepal government has been conducting a nationwide assessment of the status of tigers and prey since 2009.

According to the official data, Nepal’s tiger population reached 121 in 2009, touched 198 in 2013 and then swelled to 235 by 2018.

(Inputs from PTI)