Dhakal said that a parallel survey was conducted in India and the results from both countries will be published later in 2013. “It will take a few more months for India, which now has 1,300 big cats in several huge protected areas, to finalize the data,” he added. Nepal has pledged to double its own population of tigers by the year 2022 from 121 in 2009 when the last systematic tiger count took place. Diwakar Chapagain, who heads a World Wildlife Fund Nepal unit that monitors wildlife trade, said tiger skins were in demand in Tibet, where well-heeled people use them as festival costumes. In Nepal, kings used to stand on tiger skins for special occasions. Some affluent Nepali have mounted tiger heads on the walls of their living rooms. Tiger bones are in high demand for use in traditional Chinese medicines.” The trade in tiger parts is lucrative and fetches thousands of dollars in illegal markets,” Chapagain said.
What did kings used to do in Nepal?
Use tiger skins in special circumstances Stand next to tigers on special occasions Hand tiger heads on walls Give tigers as gifts