Dharmapuri, Oct 22 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Forest Department will soon undertake a comprehensive wildlife census across Dharmapuri’s forests, deploying 1,274 camera traps to establish whether tigers inhabit the region and assess the presence and distribution of other wild animals.
The exercise, to be conducted in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), will cover forest areas throughout the district. Officials said its findings would support wildlife conservation, improve understanding of animal habitats and help forest personnel address human-wildlife conflict.
Dharmapuri has approximately 1.72 lakh hectares of forest, accounting for more than a third of its geographical area. Despite this extensive forest cover and the presence of several important species, detailed information about wildlife populations remains limited, according to officials.
The Hogenakkal, Pennagaram and Palacode forest ranges form part of the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary. These forests support elephants, leopards, dholes, bears and several other animals, making a systematic assessment important for conservation planning and habitat protection.
Under the proposed survey, camera traps will be installed following a two-kilometre grid pattern. The devices will record animal movements, helping forest personnel identify species using different stretches and understand their distribution across the district’s forest landscape.
Officials described the planned exercise as the first comprehensive camera-trap survey of its kind in Dharmapuri. It is expected to provide a clearer picture of wildlife diversity and strengthen the information available to personnel responsible for monitoring and protection.
A key objective will be to determine whether tigers are present in the district’s forests. Officials said no tiger sightings had been recorded so far, but connections with adjoining wildlife habitats warranted a detailed investigation.
Dharmapuri’s forests are connected to the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, where tiger movements have been reported. The proposed camera-trap exercise will help examine whether tigers also use forest stretches within the district.
According to forest personnel, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri are the only districts where the NTCA will undertake a census covering the entire forest area. Staff members are currently undergoing training in preparation for the survey and the deployment of cameras across the identified locations.
Officials said the records collected would provide a foundation for understanding Dharmapuri’s wildlife richness. Besides examining possible tiger presence, the census would help identify habitats used by other species and guide future conservation measures across the district’s extensive forests.
–IANS
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