Hunsur: The National Tiger Estimation exercise began at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve forest yesterday morning and eight ranges would be covered in the first phase of the exercise, said Forest officials.

There are a total of 91 beats and the Forest staff will cover 5 km daily on foot and will cover 15 km till Jan. 25. Apart from tigers, the staff will also indulge in counting of elephants and gaurs. Following COVID pandemic, no volunteers have been taken for the estimation exercise and the findings would be directly documented using M-Stripes Ecological App.

More than 300 staff including 18 Deputy Range Forest Officers (DRFOs), 73 Forest Guards and 182 Forest Watchers have been deployed who would not only take count of tigers but also of other big herbivores by direct sightings, through dung, pug marks, footprints and other means.

Estimation exercise through line transact from Jan. 27

The tiger estimation exercise through line transact will commence from Jan. 27 during the second phase of the tiger estimation exercise.

The area has been divided into two blocks. The first block comprises Hunsur, Veeranahosahalli, Anechowkur and Metikuppe which will be covered in three days. The second block comprises Nagarahole, Kallahalla, Antharasanthe and D.B. Kuppe, which will also be covered in three days.

At Bandipur

On the second day of the exercise at Bandipur yesterday, no direct sighting of tigers took place and the Forest staff are documenting the findings through pug marks, scat, dung of herbivores and other means.

The staff are covering Block-1 from Jan. 22 to 27 and the findings will be analysed on the seventh day.

Today being the third day, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr. V. Karikalan is personally taking part in the estimation exercise at Bandipur and Gopalaswamy Hill Ranges.

Counting at BRT from Jan. 27

The counting of tigers at Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Tiger (BRT) Reserve will begin from Jan. 27 and preparations have been made for the smooth conduct of the exercise. During the 2018 counting, about 52 to 80 tigers were identified in the area and the count may go up this year.

Tiger estimation to conclude at Male Mahadeshwara

Wildlife Sanctuary on Feb. 15

The tiger estimation exercise at Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, which began in the month of November-December, 2021, will conclude on Feb. 15.

Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is likely to be identified as a Tiger Reserve Forest and the estimation exercise has reached its final stages. The exercise is likely to conclude on Feb. 15 or 16, said DCF V. Yedukondalu.

The counting of tigers through camera traps has concluded in Hanur Sub-Division. Tigers have also been sighted in other seven ranges of the sanctuary and even cubs have been spotted. It is estimated that there are more than 20 tigers in these seven ranges.

For the counting process, the Wildlife Sanctuary was divided into three divisions and as of now, camera trapping procedures was undertaken in the 450 grid in which about 150 staff took part.

In the last phase, counting will be held through more than 110 line transacts and Sign Surveys and preparations have been done, the DCF added.