What happens when wildlife conservation doesn’t just stay in protected areas, but reaches classrooms, kitchens, and village paths?
In Nepal’s Parsa National Park, something special is unfolding. With support from Wildcats Conservation Alliance, ZSL Nepal is working not only to protect tigers and restore grasslands but also to empower communities, especially young people, to lead the future of conservation.
Bringing the Habitats Back to Life in Nepal’s Parsa National Park
Grasslands may not seem glamorous, but for tigers, deer, and wild boar, they are key to survival. These habitats are essential for grazing animals, such as spotted deer and wild boar, which are the main prey for tigers. When grasslands degrade or disappear, prey species migrate into nearby farmland in search of food. And where prey go, predators follow.
Over the past decade, ZSL Nepal has carefully restored and managed these vital habitats across Parsa, from Kamini Daha to Raatomate. These efforts have improved food availability inside the park, encouraging both prey and predators to stay within its boundaries.
The result? Thriving herbivore populations, healthier tigers, and significantly fewer tigers entering villages in search of food, reducing the risk of human-wildlife conflict and strengthening coexistence.
Grassland survey and deer using the grassland in Parsa NP in 2024
Water, When and Where It’s Needed Most
Parsa’s dry season can be harsh. Without water, wildlife is pushed into human settlements in search of relief. But with solar-powered pumps and strategically placed artificial waterholes within the park, ZSL Nepal has created a lifeline, even in the park’s driest corners. This consistent access to clean water not only keeps animals within park boundaries but also supports the entire web of life in this protected area.
Bengal tiger caught on camera trap near an artificial waterhole in 2024
From Curious Students to Community Guardians
Perhaps the most powerful change isn’t happening in the forest, but in schools. ZSL Nepal’s School and University Awareness Programme, supported by Wildcats Conservation Alliance, is helping students in the park’s buffer zones see wildlife not as a threat, but as a shared responsibility.
In interactive sessions and field visits, students are learning what to do when a tiger appears in a village – and crucially, how to calm panic and prevent conflict. So, when a tiger enters a village, ZSL-trained students can step in. They have the skills to reassure neighbours, share safety advice, and help manage the situation peacefully.
These young people are becoming guardians of their landscapes, vital in a country like Nepal, which has tripled its tiger population since 2010.
Prachanda Maharjan, ZSL Nepal Field Programme Officer delivering education outreach
By recognising the importance of grasslands and taking a landscape approach to conservation, ZSL Nepal is ensuring that tigers have access to the full spectrum of environments they need to survive.
Find out more about our work in Nepal here.
