The Forest Department has commenced preparation for the All India Tiger Estimation 2025-26 that will commence on December 1.
The sixth tiger census will be conducted across the nation to determine the current population and distribution of tigers. The enumeration will take place in three phases between December and April 2026.
The first phase will run for eight days across 37 forest divisions in the State, including Periyar and Parambikulam tiger reserves. During this phase, the field staff will traverse 673 designated blocks and record evidence of tigers and other carnivores, herbivores and habitat quality using the M-StrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers – Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) mobile application.
The second phase will involve analysis of data collected during the initial fieldwork, while the third phase of camera trapping will be implemented in Periyar and Parambikulam reserves and adjoining forests. Camera traps will be deployed across 1,860 grids of 2 sq.km. each to capture images and other scientific data essential for individual tiger identification and accurate population estimation. Field data collection and camera trapping activities will continue until March 2026.
All collected data will be compiled and analysed by the Periyar and Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundations, following which the final report will be submitted to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) by April 2026.
The previous national tiger census was conducted in 2022, which recorded 3,682 tigers across India, including 213 tigers in Kerala.
Published – November 05, 2025 08:58 pm IST
