Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Nov 12: Goa is all set to participate in the sixth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE), the country’s most extensive and advanced wildlife census, beginning next month. The census, scheduled to conclude in June 2026, will be carried out in three phases: on-ground tracking and habitat mapping, satellite integration and remote sensing, and camera trap surveys with AI-based identification.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will oversee the census. Since its inception in 2006, five cycles have been completed (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022). Goa has participated in all previous cycles, recording five tigers in the 2022 census.
Phase-wise Census Schedule:
• Phase I – Ground Surveys: From December 2025 to February 2026, officers and volunteers will record indirect tiger signs such as pugmarks, claw marks, scat, prey remains, vegetation density, and signs of human presence. Data from six rounds will be submitted from March to May 2026.
• Phase II – Satellite Integration & Remote Sensing: Remote sensing will help study forest cover, terrain, water sources, human encroachment, and critical habitats, while identifying wildlife corridors using satellite-aided mapping.
• Phase III – Camera Traps & AI Identification: Cameras will be placed along trails, ridgelines, and waterholes from December 2025 to May 2026. Active for 25 days, the cameras will capture tiger movements, and AI software will analyse unique stripe patterns to identify individual tigers.
Officials said volunteers and officers will undergo training by WII and NTCA Master Trainers before the census begins.
Historically, Goa’s tiger counts have varied. Early participation in 2002 and 2006 yielded no results. The 2010 census recorded five tigers, a number that remained stable in 2014 with one male, two females, and two cubs. The 2018 census showed a drop to three tigers, suggesting the possibility of transient movement from Karnataka.
The upcoming census aims to provide a more accurate picture of tiger populations and inform conservation strategies in the state.