Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], May 12 : The Rajasthan Forest Department has initiated a comprehensive wildlife survey in the Jhalana forest area to monitor and track animal movements.
The survey, which began today, aims to collect crucial data on wildlife presence and behavior ahead of the official enumeration exercise scheduled for June.
Speaking to ANI, Jitendra Singh Shekhawat, the Regional Forest Officer said, "Due to rain this year, wildlife enumeration is not being done. It will be in June. Currently, we are conducting two types of surveys, one sign survey and one camera trap survey."
For wildlife sign survey, teams are patrolling designated grids, recording animal signs such as pugmarks, scratches, and droppings. Meanwhile, Camera traps will be installed for 25 days to capture images and videos of wildlife, helping estimate population sizes.
"Besides the natural trials, we have on the safari track. People are doing that by forming different teams. The team is given a different area. They travel around the grid, move around the area, whatever sign is there...whether it is pigmarks, scratches, any signage is found...and gets the prescribed performance," he explained.
"There is a camera trap survey after the sign survey. The camera trap is the process after the sign survey, in which we determine the camera trap for twenty-five days. We will put it in place and we will make an assessment with it," said Shekhawat.
The survey began in the Amagarh forest from May 10 to 13, while the survey is currently underway in the Jhalana forest and will continue until May 15.
Further, forest officials are prioritising water hole monitoring, ensuring they are filled with water to support wildlife during the dry season. There are 17 water holes in the Jhalana forest, which are regularly monitored to support the local wildlife.
"In the summer, because wildlife needs more water, our focus is more on the water hole. If you see, like in Jhalana, we have seventeen water holes, so there is regular monitoring. Our water hole should be filled with water," he added.