Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 (IANS): The Kerala Forest Department will be conducting a census of tigers and elephants in the state in April and May, state Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran announced on Sunday.

The minister told media persons that the census of tigers in Wayanad forest division will be first, being conducted during the first week of April, while the census of wild elephants will be done on May 17 and 18.

The Chief WildLife Warden will supervise the counting of elephants and tigers and the Additional Principal Chief Conservator will be the nodal officer for the surveys at the state level.

The census of tigers will take place at Wayanad and Kannur forest divisions which comprise the wildlife sanctuaries of Aralam and Kottiyoor, parts of Wayand North and South divisions, and the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary.

The Forest Department will install camera traps at 312 locations that were previously installed during the All India Tiger census in 2018 and 2022 to estimate the exact number of tigers.

The elephant survey will be conducted on May 17 and 18 and the finer details will be chalked out in the days to come, including the number of teams required for a comprehensive census as well as the gadgets and other equipment required for the same.