Baripada/Balasore, April 28: A week-long survey to assess the number of wild animals in Similipal, Kuldiha and Hathgarh, all sanctuaries that fall within northern Odisha, has been undertaken by the respective authorities from Monday.

In the first phase of the programme, the survey focuses on carnivorous animals. It began yesterday and would continue till tomorrow. The remaining three days will be spent on taking an account of the herbivorous wildlife.

Trained officials are doing their job on the basis of various signs, which includes direct sighting, scars on trees, excreta and using pug impression pad method. The cameras installed at the sanctuaries will corroborate the statistics.

"The sanctuary houses various types of animals, both carnivorous and herbivorous. This exercise will provide a rough assessment of their population. The exercise began from Monday with the help of trained personnel, " said Ajit Satpathy, the deputy director of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).

"From each beat house, a group would move in fixed directions and they will record the number of scars on trees, excreta and sightings of flesh eating animals. The survey for herbivorous animals would be made by drawing a transact line within 2 km of each beat house. The sample survey would definitely give a rough estimate of the wildlife population," Satpathy said.

Harish Kumar Bisht, the field director of STR and the regional chief conservator of forests said: "The survey has been undertaken at the STR and the nearby corridors. Around 1,622 pug impression pads have been placed. Each beat has been considered as one unit for the census purpose and there are 143 beat houses in the area. Nearly 350 forest personnel, protection assistants and volunteers have been engaged in the operation."