BHUBANESWAR: AS the country readies for All India Tiger Estimation, Odisha which has a point or two to prove, is geared up for the census too. The Wildlife Wing has planned to mount over 700 cameras for advanced phase of the enumeration which is conducted in four phases. Compared to 2014, it is a substantially high number.The Phase III and IV of the tiger estimation involves images of tigers captured by camera traps. The tiger count, which kick-starts on February 16, would be held across 40 forest divisions of the State. Majority of the camera traps would be installed in Similipal and Satkosia, the two notified tiger reserves of the State. Besides, the Wildlife Wing will also mount traps in tiger corridors located close to the tiger reserves.
“This time, the number of camera traps has been augmented. While we will install the cameras in the corridors, we can also move the cameras from one place to another if adequate movement and signs are recorded,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Sandeep Tripathi said.As many as 110 cameras are planned to be installed in Satkosia Tiger Reserve alone. Similipal will have the majority of it. In divisions adjoining Satkosia, like Athagarh and Athamallik, cameras would be mounted. Same will be done for Anandpur and Hadagarh which close to Similipal.
The Chief Wildlife Warden said, Odisha looks to complete each of the phases on time because training at different levels have been completed. “The staff have also been trained on use of M-STrIPES, an Android and desktop-based application, for collection, archiving and analysis of data. This is for the first time that such an App is being used,” he said. M-STrIPES stands for Monitoring System for Tigers-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status.
Apart from Satkosia and Similipal, the focus would also be on Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary which was accorded in-principle tiger reserve status about 10 years back by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change. However, the habitat being a Maoist stronghold which prevented the necessary survey, it has not been notified yet.
Tripathi said, the last enumeration was not as organised in Sunabeda but this time around, the Wildlife Wing has also made elaborate arrangements.Apart from tigers, a major focus also will be on leopards during the enumeration which starts with carnivore sign survey on February 16.In the 2014 AITE, the tiger number was estimated at 28, a decline from 2010. The State Government had rejected the number and got a survey conducted which pegged the large cat number at 40.