AP officials begin tiger census in Nallamala
By : P.V. Prasad
Update: 2025-01-05 17:31 GMT
Kurnool: Aiming to provide an accurate estimate of the tiger population in the state, the forest department has initiated an extensive tiger census in the Nallamala forest, covering the Atmakur, Nandyal, Giddaluru, and Markapur divisions. This critical survey began on January 1 and will continue until February 10. As part of the survey, trap cameras—an essential tool for modern wildlife monitoring—have been installed to capture images of animals. These images are analysed using advanced technology to identify individual tigers based on their unique stripe patterns.
Over the years, the population of tigers and leopards in the Nallamala forest has shown a gradual increase. Historically, tiger counts relied on identifying footprints, which posed challenges due to the wide roaming range of these animals. The adoption of modern technology now ensures precise estimates. Tigers are uniquely identified by the patterns of their stripes, much like humans are recognised by fingerprints.
To facilitate this census, the Nallamala sanctuary has been divided into four sections. The existing 12 forest ranges have been expanded to 19, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Approximately 2,000 camera traps have been strategically placed, with two cameras assigned per 1,000 areas. These infrared-enabled cameras automatically take pictures when any animal crosses their beam, providing clear and consistent data for analysis.
Captured images are processed in a biological lab, where computers analyse the stripes to identify individual tigers. Each identified tiger is assigned a unique number. To date, 166 tigers have been registered in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve area over 50 years.
However, the most recent census conducted by the NTCA in 2024 officially confirms that Nallamala forest is home to 87 tigers. Of these, 32 are males, 40 are females, 4 are unclassified, and 11 are cubs.