Nepal

Nepal

225 threatened species · Biodiversity Intelligence Dashboard

Threatened Species

225

CR + EN + VU

Critically Endangered

44

Highest risk

Endangered

66

Very high risk

Vulnerable

115

High risk

Declining

54%

121 species

Category Breakdown
CR 44
EN 66
VU 115
CR: 44
EN: 66
VU: 115

Critically Endangered

4420%

Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Endangered

6629%

Very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Vulnerable

11551%

High risk of extinction in the wild.

Threatened total — 225 species

Species by Group
🌱

plants

61

61 threatened

🐦

birds

43

43 threatened

🐾

mammals

35

35 threatened

🐢

reptiles

23

23 threatened

🦗

insects

20

20 threatened

🍄

fungi

20

20 threatened

🐟

fishes

13

13 threatened

🐸

amphibians

7

7 threatened

🪱

other invertebrates

1

1 threatened

🐚

molluscs

1

1 threatened

🕷️

arachnids

1

1 threatened

Global Share

0.40%

of globally threatened species

Country Rank

#124

of 250 countries

Endemic Threatened

8

Found only here

National Red List

Species at Higher Local Risk

SpeciesNationalGlobalDivergence
Rufous-necked HornbillAceros nipalensisREVU↑ Higher local risk
White-bellied HeronArdea insignisRECR↑ Higher local risk
Black-breasted ParrotbillParadoxornis flavirostrisREVU↑ Higher local risk
Pink-headed DuckRhodonessa caryophyllaceaRECR↑ Higher local risk
Falcated DuckAnas falcataCRNT↑ Higher local risk
Jerdon's BazaAviceda jerdoniCRLC↑ Higher local risk
Brahminy KiteHaliastur indusCRLC↑ Higher local risk
Pallas's Fish-EagleHaliaeetus leucoryphusCREN↑ Higher local risk
White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicillaCRLC↑ Higher local risk
Lesser Fish-EagleIchthyophaga humilisCRNT↑ Higher local risk
Conservation Outlook

Outlook: Stable

Nepal spans an extraordinary elevational gradient from 60m in the subtropical Terai to 8,849m at the summit of Sagarmatha (Everest), creating one of the world's most compressed biodiversity zones. Within 200km as the crow flies, habitats transition from lowland Sal forest and elephant grasslands through subtropical and temperate broadleaf forests, rhododendron cloud forests, alpine meadows, to permanent snow and ice. This gradient supports a bird fauna richer than all of Europe combined, together with hundreds of mammal, reptile and amphibian species and several thousand flowering plants.

The Terai Arc Landscape in the south harbours Nepal's megafauna — tigers (355, 2022 census), greater one-horned rhinos (752, 2021 census), Asian elephants, and gharials (~200) — while the northern Himalaya supports snow leopards (~300-400), red pandas, and wild yak. Nepal's protected area network covers 23.39% of total land area, exceeding the Aichi Biodiversity Target of 17%. Key biodiversity hotspots include Chitwan National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site, premier tiger and rhino habitat), Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (Ramsar wetland, critical waterbird staging site and only wild buffalo population), Sagarmatha National Park (highest-elevation protected area on Earth), and Bardia National Park (the largest undisturbed wilderness in the Terai).

Nepal has achieved notable conservation successes: near-tripling of wild tiger numbers since 2009, multiple zero-poaching years for rhinos, establishment of the world's first Vulture Safe Zone, reversing catastrophic vulture declines, and community forestry programmes that have reversed deforestation in the mid-hills. However, threats persist: infrastructure development (Terai highway expansion, hydropower dams), human-wildlife conflict intensifying as wildlife populations recover, climate change driving treeline shifts and glacial lake outburst risks, and habitat fragmentation from agricultural expansion. Nepal's trajectory is mixed — landmark recoveries of tigers, rhinos and vultures alongside expanding forest cover, set against continued loss of freshwater and wetland biodiversity and rising human-wildlife conflict (IUCN Red List 2025).

Terai Subtropical Grasslands & Sal Forest (60-300m)Siwalik (Churia) Hills Subtropical Forest (300-1,000m)Mid-hills Broadleaf & Rhododendron Forest (1,000-3,000m)Subalpine Birch-Rhododendron Forest (3,000-4,000m)Alpine Meadows & Scrubland (4,000-5,000m)Nival Zone — Permanent Snow & Ice (>5,000m)

Conservation Spotlight

Key Issues in Nepal

First Country to Double Its Wild Tigers

355wild tigers (2022), up from 121 in 2009

Nepal became the first country to meet the global TX2 goal of doubling its wild tigers, rising from 121 in 2009 to 355 in the National Tiger and Prey Survey 2022 — a survey covering more than 18,900 sq km and led by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The Bengal tiger remains Endangered globally, making Nepal's Terai Arc population one of the species' most important recovery stories.

Source: WWF — National Tiger and Prey Survey 2022

Rhinos Rising, Backed by Zero-Poaching Years

752greater one-horned rhinos (2021 National Rhino Count)

Nepal's greater one-horned rhino population reached 752 in the 2021 National Rhino Count, a 16% rise from 645 in 2015, sustained by repeated zero-poaching years — a rare achievement for a species prized in the illegal horn trade. Globally the species is Vulnerable but increasing, and Chitwan National Park holds the second-largest population on Earth.

Source: WWF / DNPWC — National Rhino Count 2021

World's First Vulture Safe Zone

>90%vulture crash the safe-zone model set out to reverse

After the veterinary drug diclofenac drove South Asia's vultures to declines of more than 90% in the 1990s–2000s, Nepal banned its veterinary use in 2006 and declared the world's first Vulture Safe Zone — a landscape across the western Terai kept diclofenac-free through community action, supported by captive breeding and release. The White-rumped Vulture, Critically Endangered, is the flagship of this recovery.

Source: Bird Conservation Nepal — Vulture Conservation Program

Guardian Range of the Snow Leopard

>10%of the world's snow leopards live in Nepal

Nepal's high Himalaya holds over a tenth of the global snow leopard population — an estimated 300–400 cats — across a network of trans-Himalayan protected areas including Sagarmatha, the highest-elevation protected area on Earth. The species is Vulnerable globally and notoriously hard to count; Nepal's national assessment is among the most systematic in its range.

Source: IUCN Red List (Panthera uncia) / Snow Leopard Trust

Conservation Partners

Key Organizations

DNPWC

government

Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation

Manages all national parks, wildlife reserves, hunting reserves, conservation areas, and buffer zones

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DoFSC

government

Department of Forests and Soil Conservation

Oversees community forestry, forest management, and soil conservation nationwide

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MoFE

government

Ministry of Forests and Environment

Lead ministry for biodiversity policy, CITES authority, and climate commitments

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NTNC

ngo

National Trust for Nature Conservation

Manages Annapurna, Manaslu, and Gaurishankar conservation areas; runs Central Zoo and biodiversity research

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BCN

ngo

Bird Conservation Nepal

BirdLife International partner; monitors 903 bird species, manages Important Bird Areas, vulture conservation

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WCN

ngo

Wildlife Conservation Nepal

Community-based conservation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and wildlife research

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NBC

government

National Biodiversity Centre

National focal point for CBD; biodiversity research, documentation, and policy support

NEFEJ

ngo

Nepal Forum for Environmental Journalists

Environmental journalism and public awareness on biodiversity conservation

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WWF

ingo

WWF Nepal

Tiger and rhino conservation, Terai Arc Landscape programme, sustainable livelihoods

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ZSL

ingo

Zoological Society of London — Nepal

Wildlife monitoring, EDGE species conservation, national red list support

Visit website

ICIMOD

research

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

Mountain biodiversity research, climate adaptation, transboundary landscape conservation across the Hindu Kush Himalaya

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SLC

ingo

Snow Leopard Conservancy

Snow leopard research, community-based monitoring, predator-proof corrals, and livestock insurance

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SLT

ingo

Snow Leopard Trust

Long-term snow leopard research and community-based conservation across Himalayan range states — population monitoring, livestock-protection programmes, and ranger support.

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RPN

ingo

Red Panda Network

Red panda conservation, community Forest Guardian programme, habitat monitoring in eastern Nepal

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The Himalayan Nature

ngo

Biodiversity research, national red list documentation, species monitoring and data sharing

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Top Threats
1.Logging & wood harvesting95 species
2.Annual & perennial non-timber crops86 species
3.Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals69 species
4.Livestock farming & ranching62 species
5.Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources60 species
6.Housing & urban areas47 species
7.Intentional use: hunting/trapping35 species
8.Roads & railroads34 species

Protected Areas

47 areas · 37,824 km²

How to Cite

IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS

GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org

National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org

This page: SpeciesRadar (2026). Nepal: Biodiversity Dashboard. SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/countries/NP

Species counts reflect IUCN Red List threatened categories (CR, EN, VU). · Full citation guide & data usage terms

Frequently asked questions

How many threatened species are in Nepal?
Nepal has 225 threatened species recorded on SpeciesRadar — 44 of those are Critically Endangered, facing an extremely high risk of extinction. The figures combine IUCN Red List data with national red list assessments where available.
How many Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable species does Nepal have?
Of the 225 threatened species in Nepal, 44 are Critically Endangered, 66 are Endangered, and 115 are Vulnerable. Together these three IUCN Red List categories make up the "threatened" total.
What is the most endangered species in Nepal?
Among the 44 Critically Endangered species in Nepal, Dehradun Stream Frog (Amolops chakrataensis) is one of the most at-risk — featured prominently on the country dashboard. The full list of Critically Endangered species is filterable on the Species tab.
What protected areas exist in Nepal?
Nepal has 47 protected areas catalogued on SpeciesRadar, sourced from the WDPA and national designations. Notable sites include Banke National Park Buffer Zone, Bardiya National Park Buffer Zone, Chhayanath National Park Buffer Zone, and Chitwan National Park Buffer Zone, among 43 others. The full list is sortable and downloadable on the Protected Areas tab.
Which animal and plant groups are most threatened in Nepal?
The most affected groups in Nepal, by number of threatened species, are plants (61), birds (43), and mammals (35). The full taxonomic breakdown is shown on the country dashboard.
What are the biggest threats to wildlife in Nepal?
The leading threats to threatened species in Nepal are logging & wood harvesting, annual & perennial non-timber crops, hunting & trapping terrestrial animals, and livestock farming & ranching. Each threat is mapped to the species it affects in the country's threat breakdown.
How many threatened species are found only in Nepal?
Nepal has 8 threatened species that are endemic — found nowhere else on Earth. Because their entire global population depends on this one country, they are especially vulnerable to local habitat loss.
How many of Nepal's threatened species have declining populations?
121 of Nepal's threatened species have populations that are still declining. Reversing these trends is the central focus of the conservation work the country dashboard tracks.
How does Nepal compare to other countries for threatened species?
Nepal ranks #124 of 250 countries by number of threatened species, and accounts for roughly 0.40% of all threatened species tracked worldwide. Threat is geographically concentrated, so a high rank reflects both rich biodiversity and intense pressure on it.
Where does the data for Nepal come from, and can I download it?
SpeciesRadar draws on the IUCN Red List, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the World Database on Protected Areas, and national red lists. Every table on the Nepal profile — species, national red list, and protected areas — can be downloaded as a CSV spreadsheet or a branded PDF report.