Coimbatore: A census to enumerate the wildlife population in Coimbatore Division with special focus on tiger population and other wildlife will be carried out from February 20 to 25 covering six ranges.

The arrangements for census are being made by the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, R. Kannan, and District Forest Officer, I. Anwardeen. Volunteers from non-governmental organisations, nature lovers and people from World Wildlife Fund would assist the forest personnel.
The census would also focus on vegetation study to assess the habitat conditions for herbivores so that the carnivore pattern could also be studied depending on the prey base concept.

Similarly, going by the sightings and habitat the factors such as human interference would also be taken note of. The first three days of the drive would be perambulating the forest area and then the three days would be for line transect census study.

Volunteers and forest personnel would be having a briefing session the previous day. Forest officials said that outcome of the census would help in assessing the forest condition, wildlife growth rate and also the habitat conditions.

The compiled data and their comparison with the data of the past would be of immense help in planning forest, wildlife management and interventional strategies and plan the habitat improvement programmes for future.