POLLACHI: The ‘winter tiger census’ began at Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Saturday which will go on for a week, official sources said here.
According to a Forest department source, 106 groups have entered the forest in different ranges and directions and each group comprise a Forest department staff, a nature activist with an NGO member, a guard and AP watchers which amount to six to seven members in a group.
The groups will be working on at least six ranges in ATR including Pollachi, Udumalpet, Amaravathy, Manampalli, Ulanthi and Valparai.
The groups started their work around 6 am on Saturday; each group will cover a distance of five-km along with the help of GPRS and the numbers will recorded with the help of android app, sources said, adding, the biannual survey is taken up to ascertain the animal population during summer and winter.
Data would be collected on prey base, quality of habitat, fodder availability, growth of plants and other related parameters.
The group members along with the departmental staff had a training session on Friday guided by a biologist on how to conduct the census as well as on the safety measures.During the last census the tiger count in ATR was around 28 in six ranges, said the Pollachi Forest deputy director, Mr. V.Subiah.
