Census on wild elephants in Nilgiris Bio-sphere

alpetta, Kerala, Apr 30 (UNI) A Census on wild elephants will be undertaken in Nilgiris biosphere, considered the most favourable habitat of the pachyderms in Asia, from May 6-8.

It would be under the joint auspices of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu Forest and Wildlife Departments.

The census will be held simultaneously in the forest regions of Mudumala, Bandipur National Park, Nagarholla National Park and Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary.

Due to severe drought prevailing in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu forests, elephants were still concentrating in Wayanad forests.

The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is under 'Project Elephant.' Besides enumeration of elephants, the census aimed to categorise the groups according to their gender, age, size and also record behaviour and specification of ivory.

The enumerators will register the time and forest limit by which they come across the elephants. By dividing the forest range into many blocks, the proposed census will begin at 0600 hrs and end at 1800 hrs.

As part of the preparation, a day's training was held in Muthanga, in which 90 officials participated.

UNI