BENGALURU: The Karnataka Forest Department head office has issued a circular to all the divisions, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and other areas to prepare for the all-India tiger census field exercise.
According to the circular, the line transect and sign survey of the census will be done from January 23-February 7 in all the tiger reserves and habitat areas, and from February 10-28 in other forest patches of Karnataka. The circular also stated that volunteers and forest students can be made a part of the survey exercises, if need be, strictly following all Covid-19 protocols.
“After a lot of deliberation, the department has decided to consider including volunteers. But they must ensure that those keen on serious work are involved and not those just to take photographs for social media,” said a Forest Department official.
The circular also details scat collection of all prey animals -- elephant, sloth bear, wild boar, sambar deer, spotted deer, and others -- except for carnivores. The samples must be sent to Wildlife Institute of India for assessment.
The officials said that each division is to draw the census dates and share with the head office for final approval, before undertaking the exercise. The census will be done on the set M-stripe app, approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change.