Bhanjanagar: The tiger census has begun in several forest divisions under the Berhampur Regional Forest Circle, including Ghumusar North and South divisions, after a delay caused by technical glitches in the online reporting portal, forest officials said.
The census, which started Friday, will continue till January 7 in Ghumusar North, Ghumusar South, Boudh, Berhampur and Baliguda forest divisions. Officials said areas showing preliminary signs of tiger presence will later be monitored using trap cameras for about a month.
During the first phase, forest personnel will conduct foot surveys for three days, covering up to 5 km daily to identify pugmarks, scat and other indicators of tiger movement. This will be followed by three more days of evidence collection.
Officials said data on other wildlife species, including elephants and gaurs, will also be collected, along with vegetation details of the surveyed areas. In addition, genetic analysis and satellite data will be mapped as part of the exercise. Daily reports will be uploaded to the central portal, officials said.
Earlier, tiger census operations were conducted between November 15 and 21 in the Phulbani and Paralakhemundi forest divisions under the same regional circle. However, the exercise in the remaining divisions was postponed due to some technical glitches in the portal. The census resumed after the system was rectified.
North Ghumusar divisional forest officer Himanshu Sekhar Mohanty said 74 teams have been deployed for the exercise under the supervision of Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACFs) and range officers. Forest staff had undergone training in November ahead of the census.
India conducts a nationwide tiger census every four years. Officials said the findings would help shape future tiger conservation strategies at the national level.