Officials of the Coimbatore Forest Division on Sunday completed a three-day-long wildlife census.
District Forest Officer V. Thirunavukkarasu told The Hindu that it was aimed at enumerating the population of mammals, herbivores and carnivores spread over 690 sq km. A total of 190 volunteers and 120 field staff participated.
The forest area spread over six ranges was divided into 43 beats and 65 blocks.
The staff and volunteers had a briefing on Friday on the direct count and indirect count for enumerating wildlife besides adopting the waterhole count and block count methods.
The direct count was based on sighting of animals while indirect counting was based on scat, scratch marks on barks of trees telltale signs on the soil.
The census on the field was conducted last week. The census output would help forest managers plan strategies, including habitat improvement programmes.
The data collected by the census volunteers and staff would be compiled in the next couple of days.
