CHANDIGARH: To carry out the second wildlife census in city’s Sukhna Wildlife Sancutary, the UT forest and wildlife department has sent a reminder to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for providing technical support.
The UT forest and wildlife department was to carry out the second census in April 2020, but the same was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequent to the outbreak, a lockdown was imposed and the ideal season to perform a census elapsed.
UT’s chief conservator of forests (CCF) Debendra Dalai said the department has again written a letter to the Dehradun-based institute for providing expertise in carrying out the wildlife census in the sanctuary.
He said officials of the institute had agreed to provide technical support to the department for carrying out the census, but they were yet to receive official confirmation. He said March and April are the best time to carry out the wildlife census.
The first wildlife census was carried out at the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary in 2010.
Being a season specific, the second wildlife census could not be carried out in 2020 as the best period to spot the animals had passed due to the lockdown, said Dalai, adding that it was difficult to locate animals in other seasons.
A team of experts from the WII, environmentalists, and representatives of NGOs and biology and zoology students of Panjab University took part in the first census. The team took three days to count nine species of mammals and 65 species of birds by using direct evidence, including animals and birds spotted in the area, and indirect evidence like foot-prints and animal faeces.