The All India Tiger Estimation–2026 exercise began on Saturday at the famous Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district.
The multi-phase enumeration aims to determine the exact tiger population in one of India’s most significant wildlife habitats. Phase I includes a three-day carnivore and mega-herbivore sign survey, followed by a four-day line transect survey and a one-day count of vultures and other bird species.
Spread over 2,750 square kilometres in the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district, Similipal Tiger Reserve contains some of Odisha’s richest forests and wildlife diversity. The enumeration began in the Similipal south division across 103 beats, with 103 trained survey teams deployed for the Phase I assignments. This phase will continue till November 22.
A large-scale camera-trapping exercise will begin on December 1. Under this phase, the entire sanctuary will be divided into 1,321 grids of two square kilometres each. Around 1,500 camera traps will be deployed to ensure comprehensive coverage and accurate photographic capture of tigers and other wildlife.
Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) recently trained master trainers and provided handholding support to field officials for the tiger census. Similipal is renowned for its melanistic tigers, an extremely rare variant found only in this landscape. The reserve currently hosts an estimated tiger population of 40, comprising six cubs, 17 tigresses and 13 males.
