Pressing need to improve and harmonise the population estimation methods: Environment MinisterFrom December, India will move to a system that will count tigers and elephants as part of a common survey. The tiger survey is usually held once in four years and elephants are counted once in five years. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday, which is marked as World Elephant Day, made public the population estimation protocol to be adopted in the all-India elephant and tiger population estimation in 2022. Based on sightings in camera traps and indirect estimation methods, tiger numbers are computed. This was because Kerala initially relied on a direct count method and then switched to an indirect method when the count showed a decline in its elephant population.

Source: The Hindu August 12, 2021 16:29 UTC