STR adopts direct sighting for elephant census

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Baripada, May 06 (UNI) The traditional method of ''direct sighting'' will be adopted for three-day census on the head count of elephants in the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve (MER) from May eight.

Nearly 644 census enumerators manning 322 units in MER encompassing a total area of 2664 sq km of elephant habitat, including three sanctuaries, will be covered in an exercise based on the concept of ''Seeing is believing''.

The trained forest guards, foresters and experienced elephant trackers involved in the head counting had been advised to see the jumbo herds or individuals with their own eyes and then believe about the number that existed in their respective unit areas.

The census is being done simultaneously in the four contiguous states - Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhatishgarh and Orissa - as elephants from Jharkhand and West Bengal migrate from one feeding ground to another.

In Orissa, the head counting will be carried out in 40 divisions under eight conservator circles. The Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve that fall within the aegis of ''Project Elephant'' is the home to 465 elephants, according to the May, 2005 Census.

Simlipal Tiger Reserve Field Director Debabrata Swain said the census officials had already taken positions in their unit area to start the head counting on Tuesday next.

The reserve had set up 86 ''Manchans'' on treetops from where the enumerators could have a clear view of the Jumbo herds. Each census unit has been delineated around a fixed point such as water body, meadow, or salt-lick where the elephants are likely to come during afternoon or day time.

UNI

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