Foresters Seeks 6K Volunteers For Tiger Count
A formal call for volunteers, with contact details and application procedure, will be released shortly: Reports
HYDERABAD: The forest department requires around 6,000 volunteers for the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE), a nationwide exercise scheduled in Telangana for late November or December. On Friday, senior forest officials held a meeting with NGOs working in nature conservation to discuss the volunteer drive and seek suggestions on encouraging public participation.
In Telangana, the sixth cycle of the AITE will be conducted simultaneously across about 3,000 forest beats. The exercise includes two components: three days of 5-km carnivore trail walks in each beat and three days of 2-km line transect studies to record herbivore presence.
The meeting was addressed by principal chief conservator of forests (head of forest force) Dr C. Suvarna, chief wildlife warden Elusing Meru, officer on special duty (wildlife) A. Shankaran, and Amrabad Tiger Reserve field director Dr Sunil Hiremath.
Officials said the department, being short-staffed, is using this opportunity to involve citizens in protecting Telangana’s wildlife and forests. A formal call for volunteers, with contact details and application procedure, will be released shortly.
Volunteers must be between 18 and 50 years of age and physically fit for forest walks. They may indicate their preferred forest areas, but the department will make the final assignment.
“The idea is to have three-member teams for each beat, including one forest department staffer, with a mix of experienced and new volunteers. Basic training in identifying signs of animal presence will be provided, along with simple accommodation and food,” Dr Hiremath explained.
