Jumbo census takes off in Chittoor, Annamayya forests

Officials estimate the number of resident elephants in Koundiyna Wildlife Sanctuary to be over 80 and those in Seshachalam forest range to be over 60

The three-day elephant census kicked off on Thursday, May 23, with a positive start in the forests of Kuppam, Palamaner, Chittoor East and West, and Karveti Nagaram ranges of Chittoor district. 

Chittoor, which borders the forests of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, houses the Koundiyna Wildlife Sanctuary at the Kuppam-Palamaner junction.

Established in December 1990 with elephants in single digits, the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is now one of the 33 elephant reserves notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.

The present number grew close to 100 resident elephants and an equal number of migrants.

District Forest Officer (Chittoor) C. Chaitanya Kumar Reddy, who initiated the census in Palamaner range, said: “The very first day of the census has started on a positive note with a herd of elephants sighted very close by us.”

As per the preliminary estimate, the IFS officer has put the number of elephants between 80-100 in the core belt of the sanctuary.

“The three-day drive will cover as many as 66 forest blocks in the district. We will undertake the zig-zag and straight-line methods of survey and a special watch at the water bodies and wetland areas in the forest ranges. We consider the presence of dung, footprints, and carcass remains as important factors for the census. The jumbo numbers are increasing phenomenally from year to year,” Mr. Chaitanya Kumar Reddy said.