Chennai, June 27 (BPNS)
The pre-monsoon bi-annual survey as part of the monitoring of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has commenced at the Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). The survey has begun at all the 10 ranges in the STR as the pre-monsoon survey is done between June and July while the post-monsoon survey is done during December- January every year.
The STR has a significant population of tigers, elephants, leopards, black buck, guar, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and other creatures.
Around 300 personnel commenced the exercise in 10 ranges in the Sathyamangalam Division and in Hasanur Division that comes under the STR. Each beat comprises 6 to 8 forest watchers, guards, and Anti-poaching watchers (APW) and each team will be involved in direct sighting of animals from 6 am to 9 am and from 3 pm to 6 pm. Other than direct sighting of animals recording pug marks, dung, carcass of animals, tree barking peelings, vegetation including grass,herbs, sedges species, and tree species.
The collected data are recorded in the Monitoring System for Tigers Intensive Protection and Ecological Status (M- STrIPES) app for analysis by the NTCA and the Wild Life Institute of India (WII).
STR officials told IANS that the core of critical habitat in the tiger reserve is 793.49 sq km and buffer or peripheral area is 614.91 sq km.
