Palamu Tiger Reserve Census Complete: Hope for Increased Tiger Numbers in Jharkhand

Ranchi: Forest officials are optimistic about improved results this time as the third phase of the tiger and wildlife census in Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) is now complete. According to the 2022 report of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), only one tiger was recorded in the state.Notably, the first phase of the sixth cycle of the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) began in PTR and other parts of Jharkhand on Dec 15, 2025.“The third phase, conducted exclusively in Palamu Tiger Reserve, has been completed and all data has been sent to the Wildlife Institute of India for compilation,” said S.R. Natesh, chief conservator of forests and field director of PTR.He added that the assessment process is still underway in other regions of the state, after which the installation of camera traps will begin.Officials said early indications are encouraging, raising hopes of a better outcome compared to previous estimates.A total of 600 camera traps were deployed during the census in PTR, covering 300 grids across the reserve.“Each grid spans two square kilometres and is equipped with two cameras to capture both right and left profiles of animals. We have a total of 700 cameras, with 100 kept in reserve,” Natesh said.The first phase of the census involved scientific data collection, including pugmarks, hoof marks, scat samples, and vegetation conditions. This phase began on December 15 and continued till the end of December 2025. The second phase primarily involved data compilation and office work.