The All India Tiger Census-2026 has commenced in the Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj, starting Saturday. Trained officers and rangers are conducting the count as per NTCA guidelines, with counting scheduled daily from 9 am to 4 pm.
The census is structured in two phases. The first phase, running until November 22, involves a 3-day carnivore and mega herbivore sign survey, along with line trading and bird species counting. Today, the Phase-I exercise began across 103 bits in the Similipal South Division, deploying 103 trained survey teams.
Following this, the second phase will involve an extensive camera trapping exercise starting December 1st. Approximately 1,500 camera traps will be deployed across 1,321 grids of the tiger reserve in two 25-day cycles.