World’s Largest Tiger Census

• 27 Sep 2025

Why in News?

Preparations for the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2026 have officially started in central India, with a regional training workshop held at Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, marking the launch of the survey.

• The 2022 census reported India’s tiger population at a minimum of 3,167, constituting over 70% of the global wild tiger population.

Key Points

• Organisation: The workshop was a collaborative effort between the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• Scope: The survey will cover tiger habitats across India, using standardised protocols to ensure reliable and robust estimates of the country’s big cat population.
  • The workshop brought together 150 forest officials and field staff from multiple states, including Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • The sessions trained various officials, including field directors, divisional forest officers, and range officers, on standardised tiger survey methods. 
• Technological Integration: Training included protocols for tiger monitoring, co-predator and prey assessments, and habitat evaluation.  Participants received training on using advanced tools like the STrIPES App, GPS devices, compasses, map reading, binoculars, and scat-based genetic sampling protocols.
• Methodologies: Participants were familiarised with methods for herbivore counts, vegetation and habitat assessment, and disturbance studies, emphasising the link between herbivore distribution and carnivore presence.

Tiger Census in India

• The national tiger census is done every four years by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in partnership with state forest departments, conservation NGOs, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). 
• The census uses a double sampling method based on ground-based surveys and images from camera-traps.