Baripada: Forest department authorities on Saturday launched the All India Tiger Estimation–2026 exercise at the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
The exercise marks the commencement of a comprehensive assessment of the tiger population in the reserve.
As per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocol, the estimation will be conducted in two phases, Phase I and Phase III at the tiger reserve level.
Phase I will include a three-day carnivore and mega-herbivore sign survey, followed by a four-day line transect survey and a one-day count of vultures and other bird species, officials said.
The Phase I exercise began in the Similipal South Division on Saturday across 103 beats, with 103 trained survey teams deployed for the task. The Phase I enumeration will continue till November 22, during which carnivore occupancy and ungulate density will be assessed.
As per sources, Phase III will involve an extensive camera-trapping exercise across 1,321 grids (each measuring 2 sq km) within the reserve. Nearly 1,500 camera traps will be installed in two cycles of 25 days each. The camera-trap survey is scheduled to begin on December 1, after the completion of Phase I.