Tiger census to begin in Telangana from November 20
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Forest Department is preparing to launch the state’s tiger census from November 20, advancing the process by a few months due to favourable winter conditions. The enumeration, initially planned for 2026, has been brought forward as cooler weather is expected to increase tiger and wildlife movement.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) A Elusing Meru said all arrangements were in place to complete the exercise before summer. “If the process is not concluded within the schedule, it will resume later,” he added.
State-level training begins
Training for forest staff involved in the tiger count began on Thursday at the Forest Academy in Dulapally. Similar training sessions will be held at regional and district levels. Initially, Territorial Forest Officers (TFOs) will be trained, followed by field-level staff.
Each of the state’s 28 districts will nominate one senior and one junior officer for the programme. The training is being conducted under the supervision of PCCF Suvarna and PCCF (Wildlife) Elusing Meru.
Census methodology and national context
Participants are being trained to collect data on pugmarks, scat (faeces) and other field evidence. The census will record the number, distribution and health status of tigers across protected areas. Those trained at the state academy will later train forest personnel at the district level.
The tiger census, held once every four years, is crucial for formulating conservation strategies and mitigating threats. According to the 2022 national census, India has 3,682 tigers (minimum 3,167), nearly double the 1,411 recorded in 2006. The exercise is supervised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
