The post-monsoon tiger estimation concluded in the Pollachi division of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Saturday.
The exercise, Phase-I estimation of tigers which follows the eight-day protocol of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), began on December 4.
According to ATR officials, the estimation was done in 32 beats coming under four forest ranges of the Pollachi division - Pollachi, Ulandi, Valparai and Manombolly.
The Department created 62 transect lines in the 32 forest beats for the estimation. More than 200 staff conducted carnivore sign survey, beat level sampling, assessment of prey base, vegetation and human disturbances. Tiger scat samples were collected during the survey for DNA analysis.
ATR Field Director S. Ramasubramanian, Deputy Director of Pollachi division M.G. Ganesan and Assistant Conservator of Forests V. Selvam oversaw the exercise.
Mr. Selvam said that the data collected by the field staff during the survey were entered in a mobile application ‘Ecological app’ on the spot and also in data sheets. The data will be submitted to the NTCA.
