Edakkara: The Forest Department has begun counting tigers in the Nilambur forests as part of the National Tiger Census.

According to officials, the survey is being conducted by dividing each forest station into separate blocks. The Nellikuthu Forest Station in the Vazhikadavu range, for instance, has been divided into six blocks.

Forest officials are visiting each block directly to carry out the census, which is scheduled to be completed within eight days. On the first day of the survey, officials are required to walk a distance of five kilometres, recording pugmarks, droppings, and other signs of tiger presence using a mobile app. Each block is to be fully covered within the stipulated number of days.

The last tiger census in the country was held in 2022, which recorded a total of 36,661 tigers nationwide. In Kerala’s forests, 213 tigers were spotted during that survey.

The current census is the sixth nationwide exercise to estimate the total number of tigers in India. This time, the entire process is being conducted using mobile apps..

In addition to counting tigers, the survey will also assess the presence of other carnivorous and herbivorous animals, evaluate the quality of animal habitats, and examine the influence of human interventions in a scientific manner. Forest department officials deployed for the survey have received specialised training for this purpose.