Hyderabad: The tiger census started on a good note with volunteers finding the pug mark of a big cat each in the Amrabad tiger reserve and the Allampalli forest area in Kadam mandal in Nirmal district on Monday.
The pug marks of the tiger in the Allampalli forest were found by a team that included forest minister Jogu Ramanna. This is the first time a minister is participating in the tiger census.
The team walked six km from 6 am to 8 am in the Kolamguda and Rampur forest beats in the Allampalli forest range.
The minister closely observed the pug marks and movement of the cats.
Principal chief conservator of forests, wildlife, Manoranjan Bhanja, said the survey began at Kawal tiger reserve at 6 am. About 2,600 beats were covered on the first day.
The survey ended at about 1 pm. As it was the first day, a few volunteers sought clarifications regarding identification marks.
Volunteers collected an extensive amount of information, recording every identification mark. Forest officials said they would need to go through it with a fine-tooth comb.
A group of 65 experts from Maharashtra, West Bengal, Pune and other places have joined the census at the Amrabad and Kawal tiger reserves. They were selected due to their extensive knowledge about tigers, an official said.
Volunteers found evidence of the presence predators like wolves, leopards, hyenas and sloth bear and, in the prey category, spotted deer and hare.
A report from Nizamabad said that the forest officials and volunteers had begun the census in Manchippa, Badapahad, Kammarpally, Sirnapally and other forest areas in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.
