Post-monsoon wildlife survey begins in Anamalai Tiger Reserve
The Hindu
ATR conducts post-monsoon wildlife monitoring to estimate the population of carnivores, mega herbivores, prey base and quality of vegetation. 210 staff to survey 32 forest beats in Pollachi division of ATR. Data collected to be submitted to NTCA on completion of estimation.
The post-monsoon wildlife monitoring started in the Pollachi division of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Tuesday.
Ahead of the estimation, an orientation programme for the frontline staff of the Forest Department was held at the Advanced Wildlife Management Training Centre at Attakatti, under the supervision of ATR Field Director S. Ramasubramanian and Deputy Director of Pollachi division Bhargava Teja, on December 9.
According to the ATR authorities, the eight-day exercise will cover 32 forest beats falling under Pollachi, Ulandy, Valparai and Manambolly forest ranges of the Pollachi division of ATR. In every forest beat, two transect lines each have been created for the exercise.
A total of 210 staff will take part in the survey. They will survey carnivores, including tiger, leopard and wild dog, and mega herbivores like elephant and gaur on the first three days. The staff allotted for a beat will perambulate a minimum of five km in the given area.
In the next three days, the staff will conduct surveys through the transect lines and record the prey base and vegetation.
Apart from direct sighting of animals, the staff will record indirect signs, such as pug marks, scat, dung, scratch marks, pellets, of the animals.
The enumerators will use M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tiger-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) ‘Ecological app’ for the exercise.
The Madras High Court on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, permitted Anna University to deposit, in three monthly instalments, an amount of ₹73.23 lakh before the Central Government Industrial Tribunal (CGIT) as a condition to hear a statutory appeal preferred by the varsity against the Coimbatore Regional Provident Fund (RPF) Commissioner’s order to pay dues to the tune of ₹2.44 crore to contract employees.