Preparations for the next phase of tiger assessment in Uttarakhand are in full swing, with the first phase — the scientific survey — scheduled to begin in October. A regional meeting of directors from Rajaji, Corbett, and other northern tiger reserves was recently held at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun to finalize the planning.
The state had earlier recorded a rise in its tiger population, with the 2022 report titled Status of Tigers, Co-Predators and Prey in India citing 560 tigers in Uttarakhand. As preparations begin for the next report, WII has started coordinating efforts with state forest officials.
Corbett Tiger Reserve Director Saket Badola, who attended the planning workshop, said that the forest department was asked to share details about camera trap installations and received guidelines on staff training. He explained that the tiger assessment process occurs in three phases: the scientific survey, data analysis, and camera trap deployment.
The first phase, starting in October, involves ecological monitoring where forest staff document wildlife presence signs such as pugmarks, scat, and scratch marks. This information is then shared with WII, which conducts analysis — marking the second phase.
In the final phase, camera traps are placed strategically across a grid in forest areas. Photographic data collected is sent back to WII for further examination before the final report is prepared.
