Koraput: Wildlife census began Friday in six ranges under Jeypore forest division of this district where Maoist menace looms large.
The ranges included Boipariguda, Ramgiri, Borigumma, Kotpad, Jeypore and Kundura.
The census will be carried out for six days for which 106 teams, each having three members, have been formed, said Aswini Kumar Kar, divisional forest officer (DFO), Jeypore.
“Though Maoist activities have increased in Boipariguda and Gupteswar forest ranges in recent times, they will not hamper our census work. In risky areas our men will take the help of local Vana Surakhya Samities,” Kar said, adding the participants are well-equipped to carry out the census.
The census would focus on deer, leopard, tiger, hyena and bear. Special focus would be on tiger and leopard, the DFO said.
“We have studied the movement of wild animals to carry out the census efficiently. They move from place to place depending on the availability of food and water. We have imparted several techniques to the officials to help them identify and count wild animals,” he added.
As many as 148 water bodies have been identified across six forest ranges and pressure impression pads have been laid in several places to spot the pugmarks.
While the first three days of the census will focus on carnivores, the remaining three days would be devoted to the census of other animals.
Despite the precautionary measures, the forest officials assigned to carry out census in Boipariguda and Ramgiri areas are in a state of panic as the regions are said to be the stronghold of Maoists, it was learnt.
According to department sources, a leopard each was present in Patraput and Ghatgumar forests under Jeypore range while the operation was on at Maliguda and Kandamali forests in the same range till this report was filed. PNN