1. Study Overview

Most of what we know about tigers in Nepal comes from protected reserves in the southern lowlands.

But reports from local residents in the Okhaldhunga District suggest that large cats — possibly tigers — may be present far beyond these established habitats, in mountainous regions where the species is not currently recognized.

Our study was created to explore this possibility.

Between 2011 and 2015, we gathered information through interviews and field observations to assess whether tigers might inhabit this high-altitude landscape. While these findings are suggestive, they are not yet conclusive.

We are now preparing to return to the field to continue this work using non-invasive methods such as Footprint Identification Technology (FIT). These tools allow us to study wildlife without capture or disturbance.

The purpose of this research is simple:

To better understand which large predators are present in the region — and how they are already sharing space with the people who live there.

Because the future of conservation may depend not only on protecting wildlife inside reserves, but on learning how coexistence works beyond them.

2. What We Know So Far

Technical Summary

Between 2011 and 2015, information was gathered to assess the possibility that a small population of large predators, potentially including tigers (Panthera tigris), may inhabit an area of approximately 4–7 square kilometers within the Okhaldhunga District of Nepal.

Structured interviews were conducted with local residents from villages in the study area, ranging in age from 9 to 90 years. While most participants had no formal scientific training, all but three were able to correctly identify tigers from a standardized set of photographic images presented during the interviews.

Residents also reported the presence of several wildlife species occurring near villages and surrounding forest areas, including:

  • Leopard (Panthera pardus)

  • Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)

  • Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus)

  • Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

  • Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)

Current literature indicates that Nepal’s confirmed tiger populations are largely confined to protected areas in the southern lowlands, typically at elevations below 1,700 meters. Historical accounts, however, have documented tiger presence at elevations approaching 3,500 meters.

According to local knowledge shared during interviews, large cats identified as tigers have reportedly been present in the forests of Okhaldhunga for at least 30 years. Ten interviewees reported encounters with one or more tigers between 2009 and 2015. All but three of these individuals were able to correctly identify tigers during follow-up photographic confirmation. In the remaining cases, initial reports were later clarified by participants as leopard encounters.

In addition to interview data, physical sign was documented during field observations. In 2012, a pugmark was photographed at the site where a domestic yak calf had been killed by a large predator. An eyewitness attributed the kill to a tiger. Examination of the carcass revealed bone damage patterns consistent with feeding behavior typically associated with tigers rather than leopards. A leopard was later observed feeding on the remains three days after the initial kill.

In 2013, two additional pugmarks were recorded with measurements consistent with those of large felids. Scat observed during 2012 and 2013 also fell within size ranges associated with large predators.

Whenever physical sign was encountered, location data were recorded to support spatial mapping of predator activity. These observations provide a preliminary basis for understanding how large carnivores may be using the landscape.

While these findings are suggestive, they are not conclusive. Continued monitoring, updated community reports, and expanded spatial documentation will help clarify predator presence and potential territorial use in the region.

3. How We Investigate

Methods

Data collection was conducted between 2011 and 2015 using a combination of community interviews and field observations. This work will be expanded during upcoming field visits to include updated community observations and additional non-invasive documentation..

Community Interviews

Structured interviews were conducted with residents of villages located within and adjacent to the study area. Participants ranged in age from 9 to 90 years. Interviews focused on reported wildlife sightings, livestock predation events, and historical presence of large carnivores in the surrounding forests.

To improve reliability, participants were asked to identify species from standardized photographic image sets of large mammals known to occur in Nepal. This approach was used to distinguish between potential misidentification of similar species, particularly tigers and leopards.

Future fieldwork will also include follow-up interviews to document any additional sightings or encounters reported by villagers between 2016 and the present.

Field Observations

Field surveys were conducted to document physical evidence of large carnivores. Observations focused on:

  • Pugmarks (tracks)

  • Scat

  • Kill sites

  • Feeding sign

When encountered, pugmarks were photographed and measured. Scat samples were measured in situ but were not collected due to the absence of government-issued permits required for biological sampling.

Carcasses of livestock reportedly killed by predators were examined when available. Observations included wound characteristics and bone damage patterns that may indicate feeding behavior associated with specific predator species.

Spatial Logging

Whenever physical sign such as pugmarks, scat, or kill sites was documented, GPS coordinates were recorded. These data will be used to map the spatial distribution of predator activity within the study area.

Over time, repeated observations may help identify patterns of movement and areas of consistent use, providing insight into potential territories of large predators in the region.

Sign Interpretation

Field evidence such as pugmarks, scat, and feeding sign was interpreted using established reference ranges for large carnivore identification.

Because track and scat measurements can overlap between species — particularly between large leopards and smaller tigers — individual signs were not treated as definitive evidence on their own.

Instead, interpretation was based on multiple factors considered together, including:

  • Track measurements

  • Scat size and morphology

  • Feeding patterns observed at kill sites

  • Eyewitness accounts

  • Spatial consistency of observations

Where available, repeated documentation of sign within specific locations was used to assess potential patterns of predator movement and area use.

All findings were evaluated conservatively and in combination with other data sources to avoid overinterpretation.

Future use of Footprint Identification Technology (FIT) will provide an additional analytical layer to strengthen species differentiation based on track morphology.

Future Methods

Field investigations will incorporate non-invasive monitoring techniques including:

  • Footprint Identification Technology (FIT)

  • Spatial mapping of predator sign

  • Updated community observation data

Where feasible, additional tools such as camera trapping or emerging environmental DNA methods may be considered in the future.

4. Tools We Use

Footprint Identification Technology (FIT)

Tracking animals has traditionally meant capturing them, collaring them, or relying on camera traps.

But what if we could learn about wildlife without disturbing them at all?

Footprint Identification Technology (FIT), developed by WildTrack, allows researchers to identify individual animals using nothing more than their footprints.

By carefully photographing and measuring pugmarks (tracks), FIT uses advanced pattern analysis to distinguish between species — and even between individual animals. Just as no two human fingerprints are identical, subtle differences in footprint shape can reveal valuable information about who is moving through an area.

This approach is especially useful in remote or rugged environments where traditional monitoring methods may be difficult or disruptive.

Using FIT, we aim to:

  • Differentiate between tiger and leopard tracks

  • Document wildlife movement through the study area

  • Gather non-invasive evidence of large carnivore presence

Because FIT relies on tracks rather than physical capture or tagging, it allows us to study wildlife while minimizing stress and impact on the animals themselves.

In landscapes where people and predators already share space, this kind of non-invasive monitoring offers a powerful tool for understanding coexistence.

5. What Comes Next

Our next phase of fieldwork will focus on documenting wildlife presence using non-invasive methods.

With permission secured to use Footprint Identification Technology (FIT), we will photograph and measure pugmarks encountered in the field. These data will be analyzed to help distinguish between species and better understand how large carnivores move through the landscape.

Where feasible, future investigations may also incorporate additional monitoring tools such as camera trapping and emerging environmental DNA techniques. These methods could provide independent lines of evidence to complement track-based findings.

Together, these approaches allow us to gather meaningful information while minimizing disturbance to wildlife.

Our goal is not only to determine which species are present, but to better understand how people and predators are already sharing this environment — and how that balance can be supported moving forward.