Overview
- Field teams of three began three days of five‑kilometre patrols on January 5 across 38 forest divisions to record pugmarks, scat and direct sightings of tigers, leopards and other carnivores, as well as elephants.
- A second phase from January 15 to 17 will survey 14 forest divisions for herbivore sightings to inform subsequent camera‑trap placement, followed by a deployment phase.
- Camera‑trap surveys are already underway in the five tiger reserves, with 2,230 units available: Nagarahole 600, Bandipur 550, B.R.T. 300, Bhadra 330 and Kali 450.
- Project Tiger Director Ramesh Kumar has been appointed the NTCA nodal officer to oversee methodology, prey assessments and carrying‑capacity evaluations.
- Officials report more tiger forays into human habitations and say a population rise appears likely, though confirmed numbers will come only after the census.