Foresters to trek 57,600 km for tiger survey in Telangana
HYDERABAD: Foresters in Telangana will cover nearly 57,600 km on foot across forests, sanctuaries, and tiger reserves next month as part of Phase-I of the 2026 All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) exercise. The once-in-four-year national survey focuses on assessing the population of carnivores and herbivores through extensive “sign” surveys.
Focus on tiger, prey species and forest health
According to the forest department, 48,000 km will be walked to track carnivore signs, followed by 9,600 km of herbivore transects. The data will offer insights into the presence and abundance of tigers, leopards, dholes (Indian wild dogs), and prey species such as deer and wild boar. It will also help assess forest conditions, including vegetation density, canopy cover, and traces of past fires.
The survey will be conducted simultaneously across 3,200 beats covering all reserve forests and protected areas, including Amrabad and Kawal tiger reserves.
Intensive six-day field operation
The six-day exercise will include three days of trail walks for carnivore signs and three days of transect walks for herbivore observations. Each team will walk five km daily on animal trails during the carnivore phase and two km daily on herbivore transects.
“This is a massive field effort that gives us a comprehensive picture of our forests, their wildlife, and habitat quality,” said Dr C. Suvarna, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), after reviewing preparations with field officials at the Forest Academy, Dulapally.
Data to guide conservation planning
Officials said that once analysed, the data will contribute to national and state-level conservation planning. The AITE, coordinated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), helps track population trends of tigers and co-predators, along with prey densities and habitat health across India.
