2023 Tiger Census in Sunderbans Begin Today

Every year, a tiger census is conducted in the forests of the Sunderbans in West Bengal. During this census, numerous cameras are set up across different forest areas and the approximate tiger count is made. This year, the annual tiger census in Sunderbans will start today, 27th November 2023. 

This tiger census is part of the nationwide census which has been taking place in other states of the country. Once every four years, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) carries out the national tiger census.  

Around 1,500 cameras have been strategically set up at 720 different places throughout the Sunderbans to record the movements of the big cats. Officials have stated that although an accurate count cannot be made because the tigers can travel to multiple places and be caught in record more than once, it can still provide an estimate of their real population. 

More than 40 forest officials and some locals will be involved in the census. All of them have received training in handling camera technology and retrieving data from them. As per the last count, There are 101 tigers in the Sunderbans.

Through all the prior tiger censuses conducted in India, it is estimated that the country is home to an average of 3,682 tigers, accounting for 75 percent of the world’s tiger population.