The forest department is all set to embark on its two-phased wildlife estimation census in Kolhan region. The process takes place every five years.
According to information said the wildlife estimation census will be carried out in two phases and which has to be completed by the end of May.
“We have decided to start wildlife census in the twin districts of Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan, which comprise Kolhan region from April 12.
Though the wildlife census is aimed primarily to find out tiger's population in the State, we will carry out the exercise to count the number of other wild animals including the elephants,” principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) R L Singh.
“It is an ambitious project and we are looking forward to make it success. The first phase of census will begin from April 12 for which preliminary work like carrying out “sign survey” has been completed at most of the forest in the state including at the forests in Kolhan,” said the PCCF (Wildlife).
Singh said from 6 am on April 12 the forest officials will be watching personally or by cameras the movement of wild animals to the water bodies.
“The wild animals tend to turn up at the water-holes for drinking water and by watching their arrival and departure from such points we can get an idea about their number,” said Singh.
The PCCF (wildlife) said presently there are six tigers in the State, that is at the Palamu tiger reserve.
“We had conducted DNA on all the six tigers presently in Palaum Tiger Reserve. Earlier till 2002, the forest department was in the impression that there are 32 tigers in Palamu tiger reserve, but the figure was not authentic because the count of tigers had been made by pug-marks not by DNA analysis. Counting through the pug-marks has scope of repeation and false estimate,” the senior wildlife official said.
The focus will be on Dalma Wildlife sanctuary.
There are authentic information about the halt of Royal Bengal tigers in Dalma near Jamshedpur in East Singhbhum district last year. It sprawls over an area of 193 square kilometres and houses 85 villages inside the enclave and 51 villages in its periphery.
Dalma is frequently visited people of Odisha and Kolkata. In fact a large number of foreigners also visited Dalma last year.
The Eco Development Committees in the villages of Dalma will work on tribal ornaments, bamboo pieces, wall hangings and volunteers of these committees will be trained to guide tourists.
Notably Dalma is the best elephant habitat of Jharkhand, where the pachyderms love to spend their summer.
Dalma used to be pleasing with temperatures less than 30 degrees C. But due to rising mercury over the years the elephants started migration to green pastures.
The availability of water during summer is all the more alluring for the elephants to migrate.
There are over 80 elephants in the Dalma sanctuary.
The elephants often have the tendency to go into agricultural fields adjoining the sanctuary in search of food.
The forest department has made arrangements to keep them anchored in Dalma, by providing water and greenery.