Preparations have begun at the Periyar Tiger Reserve and the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary for a State-wide wildlife survey to be held from May 18 to 20.
Sanjayan Kumar, deputy director, Periyar Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu on Thursday that training classes for the Forest Department staff would be held on Saturday, and the exact number of persons participating in the survey of mammals would be known only then.
It was in 2002 that a similar survey of all mammals was held. A census of elephants was taken in 2005, 2007, and 2010, and a census of tigers in 2006 and 2010.
On May 18, a block-level census would be held, and in the next two days the transect surveys would be conducted, Mr. Sanjayan Kumar said.
The forest area in the State had been divided into more than 1,200 blocks. The survey would be held in 630 blocks. A Forest Department staff member, a volunteer and a watcher would be present in each block to conduct the survey.
He said a two-km straight line would be drawn through the centre of each block before the survey. On the first day, the surveyors would note all the animals in the forests. The presence of elephants and tigers would be noted on the following day. On the last day, the surveyors would travel along the straight line and note the presence of the animals through their dung or other marks left by them.
Saby Varghese, Wildlife Warden, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, said the data collected by the survey would be submitted to the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, for final tabulation. A conclusion would be reached using various scientific methods, he said.
He said a training class for the Forest Department staff was held at Thattekkad on Thursday. More classes would be held for the staff members and the volunteers taking part in the census.
