Baripada: The All India Tiger Estimation-2026 commenced today in Similipal Tiger Reserve marking the beginning of a comprehensive assessment of the tiger population in the reserve.
As per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocol, the estimation will be carried out in two phases: Phase-I and Phase-III.
In Phase-I, which started today in Similipal South Division, 103 trained survey groups have been deployed across 103 beats to conduct a sign survey of carnivores and mega herbivores, along with a line transect survey and a count of vulture and other bird species. This phase will continue till November 22, aiming to calculate carnivore occupancy and ungulate density.
The next phase, Phase-III, will involve an extensive camera trapping exercise across 1321 grids (2 Sq. km grid) of the tiger reserve, using nearly 1500 camera traps in two cycles of 25 days each. The camera trapping exercise is scheduled to start from December 1, following the completion of Phase-I.
This estimation exercise is a crucial step in monitoring the tiger population and habitat health in Similipal Tiger Reserve, providing valuable insights for conservation efforts.
