Tiger Census Begins in Odisha’s Similipal Reserve for AITE 2026

The Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha has launched its tiger census for the year, marking the beginning of preparations for the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2026, officials announced on Saturday.

The census will be conducted in multiple phases throughout the year to ensure accurate data collection. As part of the exercise, eight dedicated teams comprising 85 trained personnel have been deployed across various forest zones of the reserve.

These teams will employ scientific methods such as pugmark tracking, scat analysis, and camera trapping to assess tiger presence and movement patterns. Personnel have been specially trained to interpret footprints, collect excreta samples, and use other indirect signs for identification.

Officials said the census is vital for understanding the status of the tiger population in Similipal, which is one of India’s major tiger habitats and a key component of Project Tiger. The reserve has also been a focus of conservation attention due to its unique melanistic (black) tigers, found rarely elsewhere.

The ongoing efforts aim to provide credible baseline data for AITE 2026, which will feed into the national-level database to guide future tiger conservation policies and habitat management strategies.

The forest department has appealed to local communities and eco-development committees for cooperation during the census period, emphasizing that accurate and timely data will play a crucial role in preserving India’s national animal and its ecosystem.