AGARTALA, Jan 30: Estimation of animals at the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary in the South Tripura district will begin on February 19, an official said on Tuesday.
The last estimation at the sanctuary was conducted by the state forest department in 2021. That exercise, which went on for over a month, estimated the number of gaurs in the sanctuary at 105-140, he said.
The estimation is conducted every three years to know the actual population so that corrective measures can be taken, he added.
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A Mumbai-based agency has been roped in to assist in the exercise, deputy conservator of forest, wildlife, Krishna Dulal Roy told PTI.
“Once the estimation is complete, which is expected by March, we will know the actual number of wild animals. We will seek help from the Tripura University’s biodiversity and forestry department to analyse the data obtained,” he said.
“There has been no report of the killing of gaurs in and around the sanctuary over the last few years due to alertness on the part of forest guards and support of locals. Therefore, we are sure about the growth in the number of gaurs,” said another forest official.
However, he expressed concern over the rising encroachment of land in the 294 sq km sanctuary.
“Rubber plantations on six hectares and cannabis plantations on 11 hectares of land have been destroyed by the department. Over the last two years, 16 hectares of land encroached for farming and living have been recovered,” he added. (PTI)
