Wildlife census is done based on the water hole method in the summer, especially because all animals come to drink water in these water holes, which are specially created by the Forest Department in forest areas. They are counted, especially in full moon nights, as it becomes easy to spot them

Jaipur: The annual water hole survey, a method used for wildlife census, will start in Rajasthan on Thursday, May 23, which happens to be Vaishakh Purnima. According to forest department sources, counting of animals will also be done on May 24 by using the popular water hole method, and it will take place for 24 hours. For this, the department has already issued several guidelines and made arrangements to fill up the identified water bodies in the forest areas. Even a pre-exercise and training were conducted for two days before the actual counting. The forest department staff and wildlife enthusiasts will sit on top of trees during this time and count the animals. The department usually ropes in regular wildlife experts and enthusiasts for this mammoth exercise.

Under the water hole survey, the number of tigers and other wildlife will be assessed in Rajsthan. It may be noted that last year, due to unseasonal rains, a wildlife census could not be done through this popular method, and thus this year this census has gained importance. Once the counting is done, the actual figures of the number of wildlife in the state forests will be available. 

What is a water hole census?

Wildlife census is done based on the water hole method in the summer, especially because all animals come to drink water in these water holes which are specially created by the Forest Department in forest areas. The wild animals come to drink water, and especially on moonlit nights, they are counted as it becomes easy to spot them. Usually, wild animals are divided into four categories: carnivorous, herbivorous, bird, and reptile.

Under this, wildlife will be counted at the water holes, where special seating arrangements are made for those involved in the counting process. Even camera traps have been installed at water points in many places, where many wildlife photographs sit perched on top of specially erected machans and capture on camera the evidence of whatever unfolds before them. The census participants were given detailed information about the water hole calculation method, camera traps, and the pug mark identification method.

The number of animals sighted is counted and recorded throughout the 24 hours, and later on, the data is compiled species-wise to arrive at the density figures. This method also gives an index or trend regarding the population, not an estimate of the population. Information on the frequency of water consumption by animals in the area is collected, the figures compiled are also corrected for repeat visitors, and then the trend is refined. This is one of the easiest methods and comes with little training, as most wildlife volunteers from colleges, NGOs, etc participate in it. Thus, for these reasons, this is the most popular method to count wildlife in the country.

Why Vaishakh Purnima?

There are two main reasons for counting wild animals on Vaishakh Purnima. According to wildlife experts, first, it is generally very hot during this time, as the temperatures usually touch the 45-plus degrees Celsius mark in the desert state, thus forcing the wild animals to come to drink water at least once every 24 hours. The second reason is that the moonlight on this full moon is the brightest, and wild animals can be easily seen from a distance without the help of any artificial light. Therefore, Vaishakh Purnima is considered to be the day most suitable for the wildlife census across India. 

How is it done?

During this period, Forest Department officers and employees will count wild animals and the census will be done in all forests. For example, in the National Desert Park area (DNP), 80 personnel will monitor 40 water points with the help of 40 cameras for 24 hours. The state bird, Godawan, or Great Indian Bustard, will be the most watched in the DNP area during the census. This bird is protected in a desert national park in Jaisalmer and is also the largest land bird in India.  It may be noted that the Great Indian bustard was listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 1994. They are critically endangered birds.

While in the State capital, Jaipur, counting will be done in the Jhalana Forest, Galta-Amagarh Forest Area and Nahargarh Forest Area. This calculation will be done everywhere using the water hole method. In the Jaipur Range regional area, wildlife will be counted at about 44 water points; of these, 23 are in Jhalana Leopard Reserve, 13 are in Amagarh Leopard Reserve and 7 are in other places.

This wildlife census will include bears, tigers, panthers, hyenas, wolves, jackals, foxes, wild cats, langur, wild boars, nilgai, sambar, chital, black deer, chinkara, mongoose, badger porcupines, etc. However, there are hundreds of species of wildlife in the state. Similarly, in other parts of the state, too, people have been roped in to count the wildlife.

To ensure that the calculations are accurate, complete guidelines have been issued by the Principal Chief Wildlife Warden (PCCF), Jaipur. According to the guidelines of Chief Wildlife Warden Pawan Kumar Upadhyay, camera traps have already been installed at such waterholes where there is a possibility of wildlife coming in large numbers. All forest divisions will then have to send wildlife census data through their divisions directly to Jaipur headquarters by June 4. Additionally, if there is any confusion about the species of wildlife, it will be addressed by an expert who will help identify them by seeing that photo taken with a mobile phone or camera. 

Additionally, the census in the Tiger Reserves of Ranthambore, Sariska, and Mukundara Hills in the state is done as per NTCA protocol. In such a situation, apart from these tiger reserves, wildlife in 27 sanctuary areas will also be counted through this method. Additionally, for proper calculation, the Forest Department and DNP have also deployed technical personnel on duty at each water point. The last wildlife census was conducted in Rajasthan in 2022, as wild animals could not be counted in 2023 due to unseasonal rains.